Nicholai Chasseur

GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +15 days 16 hours, 14 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Personal Event Log Entry ------- ///COMMAND:ENCRYPT LOG. Voice Authorization: Light, Samuel, 3667524. DNA AND RETINA SCANS APPROVED. PROCEEDING WITH ENCRYPTION. PASSWORD:**** *** ***** * displaying data... Last night was INCREDIBLE! I...well...I am at loss for words. I hardly feel like putting this in a log entry would be enough...I feel as though I should paint a picture...I spent the whole evening with her...we talked over a hardly romantic nurtipack, and it seemed as though both of us pointed out the fact that the galley could never be considered a date, much less a romantic spot to rendezvous. Afterwards, we walked to the aft viewport and looked at the Kradlegna Nebula...beautiful to say the least...she asked me to describe it for her...well...I did, but I hadn't gotten through the second sentence before our lips were locked. I have never kissed a girl like that...it felt...well...immense...I felt warm inside...kind of like when you get an adrenoplasma injection...after that I walked her to her quarters, kissed her again, and went to my bunk to get some SS. It took me a full 16.3 minutes to get into SleepStatus! I could hardly believe it! I felt like I was in suspended animation! I was there, but my outside world was shut off... This girl is like a teleport out of null space for me... END LOG

GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +14 days 18 hours, 58 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Personal Event Log Entry ------- I havent written in a while... I think I'll write about my PlanetSide leave. R&R was great...although I spent a bit of time in the simulators on commanders orders, I enjoyed it alot. While patrolling my usual PlanetSide route when on earth, I stumbled upon what could only be described as a beautiful flower among a field of weeds. Her name: Stephanie. Wow...what a piece of work. And whats more: she is an engineer trnasfer to the Chikuma! She'll be working on team 3, whateverthat means. She's going to replace one of the engineers that suffered a head wound...he's in a coma now, or something. We left him behind at GALCOM HQ. I'll bet he'll be surprized when he wakes up... ALso, my sweet machine is back in commission...they even retrofitted her with some spare Xenotitanium Polycarbon counpound plating...the kind they use on the X-88 GHAV Ground Heavy Assault Vehicle. Those things can take a direct hit from a vagrant and survive. I also heard that the armor will withstand a blast at the molecular level from a Bungor at 500 clicks! Imagine what mt IC can take now! Unfortunately, I sacrificed a little speed for the upgrade. I have a max of 1000...but I can outmaneuver a closing STS missile at 400, so I dont think the effect will be much... ***INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM CREWMEMBER HOFFMAN, STEPHANIE A.*** ///pause log ///display message please wait... To: Sammy From: Stephanie Subject: Galley tonight? Hi there Sammy, I was wondering, since I am quite new to the Chikuma, would you like to spend our ODT in the galley tonight? I would really like to talk again...you seem so...well...interesting. So if you think you'd like to go, you can drop by my quarters around 1800. I'll be waiting! END TRANSMISSION. HAVE A NICE DAY. ///resume log Wow...I'd better go get ready...it's 1656...I dont have much time... END LOG.

GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +20 hours, 58 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Personal Event Log Entry ------- I just got the RTB order a few minutes ago, and I am heading back to the Chikuma as I am writing. The ship is on autofunction, so I dont have to strain myself trying to land. Pancake and I took a beating out there today. But at least we got 12 more Vandals before the rest of the *******s got through the jumpgate...smashed 'em while they were fleeing...like pups, yelping with their tails between their legs. Now we just have to wait and hope we get back ok. The shockwave from that last Aestrom when the reactor went critical blew one of the P-21's apart, and a piece of it's hull tore through our armor and smashed into our life support unit. It's still functional, but were holding our breath anyways. We chased those 12 down with that in mind, but I tell you what, the adrenaline was worth it! What a jump! I'll have to assume there's a big party for the IC pilots and engineers when we get back...but I just want to put on some music and get into sleep status. God...this was one close day today...we're getting closer to the BC now...I can see IC1 in there...she's pretty banged up...looks like a few engineers are working on her now...I see some medics...and it looks like a greeting party...but wait...no...it looks like Neena Polovoski, our combat officer is down there...but I doubt she'd come out of the bridge for anything...even this...who knows. They'll probably give us a few medals and some junk to put on our walls... What I wouldnt give for some Emperian ale...that would help me get my rest...but that damn snob Logan and his bratty kid are hogging it all...I know they have it. Crewman Slavia told me he saw it when he was reinforcing the deck plates in the guest quarters... Oh well...I am glad to be back in one piece...I hope McKendrick's ok...that shuttle took a walloping out there...McKendrick'll be the hero of the day...I know it...one fine crewmember...never gave up once. We're landing now...theres a mob out there waiting for us! I hope the medics get us first...I dont need the extra pain... END LOG. MISSION TIME: +21 hours, 16 minutes.

------- GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +20 hours, 17 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Interceptor 3 Comms Monitor ------- TEXT MONITOR ENABLED...RETRIEVING DATA... DONE. SHADOW: [Censored], Pancake! You son of a[Censored]! Get that [Censored] EMD online! I can't dodge these [Censored] missiles forever! PANCAKE: I'm working on it! I can't get the power to switch over from the engine! You'll have to cut it so I can make the transfer! SHADOW: What the [Censored] are you thinkin?! There are 4 P-21's and an Aestrom on our [Censored]! PANCAKE: Maneuver then! Do something you learned at the Academy! SHADOW: Don't you tell me what to do you [Censored] rook! I'll kick your green [Censored] you [Censored] [Censored] [Censored]! [rp off] [narrative on] "How DARE that rook tell me what to do!" I thought angrily as another P-21 vectored in, this time at our 15 degree aft mark. Ok...think, Shadow,...three on our six, one at 4:30...Ok...let's go vintage...I'll maneuver the 4:30 into thinking he'll pull a yo-yo turn, and then, barrel over to face the Aestrom, and hopefully they'll follow...yes...they will follow...they're stupid raiders. Of course they will... Now sure of what I needed to do, I yanked back on the throttle, sending our ship into a fierce acceleration, and slowly eased the stick over... The morons were following... Just as I thought, the one from my 4:30 and one from the six followed through and tried to do a yo-yo maneuver, which would force me into the other pilots path of fire...but I knew better...I was fooling them. "Hold on, rookie..." I said to my co-pilot as I forced the flight stick down, sending our ship away from the hungry wolves, and follwed that move with a barrel to put them 90 degrees above us...and to put the Aestrom dead on with our current profile... "Oh, jeeze, Shadow...not again!" I squeezed the trigger, sending a barrage of searing laser blasts to the waiting mammoth in front of me. I smiled as I checked my weapon stores... "2 Questors left...just enough..." Carefully lining myself up with the beast ahead of me, and paying close attention to the ships behind me, I locked on to the belly of the metal monster, and sent the first STS missile hurdling toward it. It collided, sending a shower of titanium hull fragments into empty space, and leaving a gorge in the side of the ship which was noticably bigger than the hole in the first Aestrom I took down during this battle... Like candy from a Mandorian... The second weapon followed not long after... There it goes... Closer... Closer...... Closer......... C'mon............. Oh baby!!! I'm almost there!!!... And right about the time the missile should have hit, a Vandal, in a gallant effort to save the helpless behemoth I was about to slay, flew in front of the missile, and took the blow itself. "[Censored]!" I yelled, in disbelief that a Raider would have the cranial capacity to execute such a move... "Did you see that? Son of a [Censored]!" "Watch your mouth in my ship, rook. I keep a clean back seat." "But that was our only chance-" "Ahh, poor little idiot," In interrupted,"you are so green yet. You are forgeting one thing..." "What?" Pancake asked, unsure of what I was saying... "We have plenty of missiles left," I replied, quippy at best. "What do you mean?" "Look behind us." Pancake suddenly froze. Although I couldnt see it, I knew the expression on his face. "Time to do it Pancake. Now, you become a man..." With that, I punched the throttle and raced toward the hole we had just created...and when we reached it, I stopped. I shut down the throttles right then and there, less than 5 clicks from the belly of an Aestrom... "Get on that EMD, Pancake!" "Yes, sir!" As Pancake worked, I glanced out my cockpit at the marvelous damage I had done to the enemy ship...and laughed. There, in the wounded armor, I could see 3 system engineers staring down at me from the hole I'd made. They were protected in AirSuits, and were using GravBoots...I could sense their anxiety, knowing that they were fixing something that had been destroyed by someone who was only a few meters away. Loking closer I could see one of them motioning from behind...suddenly, they moved out of the way, and laser blasts emerged from the ship. "Hah! Would ya look at that Pancake? There are marines up there trying to shoot at us from that hole I made!" A laser blast hit the cockpit, ebbing away a little of the armor. "Better stop 'em Shadow. I almost have this fixed, and those P-21's are getting close, so be ready!" "Good idea, greeny..." I angled the ship, using the retroboosters, to face the hole once more. I watched the marines stop dead where they were, and could sense the urine running down their legs as I fired my weapon into the ship which they felt so safe and protected by. I'm sure I got them all... "Missile inbound, sir!" Pancake screamed, startling me. "Perfect! It's coming in dead level with the hole. Is the EMD online yet?" "Give me one...Got it!" I re-engaged the engines, sending the familliar hum resonating through the ships various panels... "How close is it?" "20 clicks and gaining, sir...15 clicks...10...5 clicks sir! 3 clicks!!! [Censored]!" Just moments before the rocket would have destroyed Pancake and I, the throttle was thrown back, and our ship was thrown forward into space. I glanced back as the Aestrom's bridge burst into flames. "What did I say about profanity in my ship!" ------- END LOG. MISSION TIME: +20 hours, 34 minutes

[rp on] ------- GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +19 hours, 49 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Interceptor 3 Comms Monitor TEXT MONITOR ENABLED...RETRIEVING DATA... DONE. PANCAKE: Sir, were running at 74 percent! Our shields are falling! SHADOW: [censored]! EMD, EMD! COMPUTER: EMD Jammer Activated. --- WEAPON DETONATION...retrieving status... origin: starbord side, 36 degrees lateral aft firing ship: Enemy, RAI, P-21 VANDAL class --- SHADOW: Pancake, how are our shields? PANCAKE: They're fine sir, recharging on 80 percent now. That missle didnt phase us! SHADOW: Disengage EMD. COMPUTER: EMD Jammer Disengaged. PANCAKE: Sir, one coming in, 5 o' clock hard. 1200, sir, he's flying right at us! SHADOW: I'm on it. Watch this, rookie... [rp off] [narrative on] The tiny metal ship slowed to a stop as the enemy interceptor raced toward it at a blinding speed. Shadow, in a bold move to crush the raider fleet, ship by ship, turned nose to nose with the oncoming offender. "Sir! What are you doing? She's coming in at 1200," Pancake screamed, feeling his muscles tense as the small fighter closed in. A little red light went on one of Pancakes status screens, and in the HUD of both men. "Shadow! Move this ship! He's locked on!" "Not yet, greenhorn...wait and watch," said Shadow, confident of his triumph over the ship, now a mere 50 clicks away... "Sir, he's going to fire!" Just then, Shadow squeezed the trigger on his flightstick, sending a Questor straight at the enemy pilots cockpit. For a moment, Shadow thought he could see the face of the raider pilot as the missle tore through the hull sending tint shards of scrap metal everywhere, and leaving a burning ball of debris as the last bit of oxygen in the P-21 Vandals' stores burnt up in space... "6 down, 25 to go, my friend..." Pancake just stared, unsure of wether to be in awe, to lash out at this highly unprotocol act of combatism, or to clap at another ship gone down in Shadows path... Both of them shot back in their seats as Shadow engaged the hyperdrive, sending the 2 tiny GALCOM Pilots racing to take an Aestrom on face to face... "Shadow...uhh...what are you doing," Pancake bleated out, wondering if maybe his comrade had lost his mind. "Aestroms are weak, my friend. Their biggest weakness is the lower hull. If you can plant a few Questors or even a Vagrant down there, their bridge will burn up, and you'll fry the tubes that fuel the reactor it's coolant. Makes a pretty explosion when the reactor blows right in the ship...If you look close, you can see the Engineers floating away from the ship, sometimes on fire if you're lucky." Pancake was sure now. He'd been paired up with a maniac. Shadow just smiled... "Wait a second...I have a thought," Shadow said, suddenly thinking of a devious plan to gain face with his fellow pilots onboard the Chikuma. "Computer, hail the GCV-Chikuma and get me an open channel on the inship broadcast system." The computer responded accordingly. "Channel opened to GCV Chikuma." "Attention all crewmembers of the GCV Chikuma, this is Shadow and Pancake in IC3. If you arent busy, you might want to get a look at what we're about to pull in your nearest TacOps display...it's gonna be a good one...don't miss it!" Shadow closed the channel right as the tiny metal slug, known to GALCOM as a standard issue interceptor support craft, rushed in on the unsuspecting Aestrom. The mammoth cruiser turned 2 of it's deadly IOD turrets to face the oncoming IC, and began to fire. "Sir, we have 2 P-21's and 2 Lightstars inbound," Pancake said, alerting Shadow to the formation on his 3 o'clock, coming in strong. "As soon as I start my attack, the Aestrom bridge officers will get cocky and call them off. It never fails. What's our shield status, rook?" "89 percent sir...it's trying to climb, but I'm not sure the power allocation we have right now will let it get higher than 93." Shadow stared out the front of his cockpit, ignoring the formation of enemy fighters bearing in on the GALCOM IC. Both were silent as he punched the throttle and made his approach, sending IC3's nose to the 56 degree mark of the Aestroms underbelly...right on target... Seconds became minutes, minutes became hours... It's straight ahead now... Lined up perfect... Just like clockwork... Now squeeze... That's it... There go those little fiends... Little metal devils... Yes...closer...closer... BOOM! The Aestrom shook violently as the first Questor exploded, tearing into the flesh of it's hull. THe behemoth ship began to make the first traces of a profile change, possibly to take the tiny IC on head to head, but it was too late. The second deadly missile went right into the gaping hole that the first had created. Siddenly, the bridge lit up a brilliant orange from the inside. As the protective glass shattered, flames emerged, and a cloud of gasses leaked from the dying ship. Then. almost instantly, the center of the giant burst, sending a shockwave out which rocked the nearby Vandals, and slammed into the cockpit of the IC which had destroyed the Aestrom it came from. Shadow smiled, so did Pancake, and for an instant, they thought they could hear a cheer come over the radio... END LOG. Mission Time: +20 hours, 03 minutes

------- GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +19 hours, 36 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Interceptor 3 Comms Monitor ------- TEXT MONITOR ENABLED...RETRIEVING DATA... DONE. FLIGHT CONTROL: Interceptor 3, you are cleared for preflight procedures. Bring systems online and prepare for launch. Flight Engineers Roald and Dahlly, please report to IC2 launch bay immeadiately. SHADOW: Affirmative. Pancake, prep for launch. PANCAKE: Yes, sir. Inflight systems interface online. All systems are running at nominal levels. Engines online. Shield systems at 100 percent. Armor is at 98 percent, sir. SHADOW: God damned engineers cant even electrosolder some grade 6 depleted uranium plating on the side of this IC...they're so incompetent. PANCAKE: Yes, sir. Umm...everything is online and functional. I'm getting a little power fluctuation reading in our EMT system, but it looks normal. SHADOW: Re-route that extra 10 percent we have allocated to the laser array if it becomes a problem. PANCAKE: Yes, sir. Understood. SHADOW: And lighten up. You're too anal. All you greenies are. PANCAKE: Excuse me, sir? SHADOW: Jesus...I ain't your superior, and I ain't an officer...you dont have to call me sir. :pause: SHADOW: Flight Control, we are go for takeoff. Requesting deck clearance. Prep for blast. FLIGHT CONTROL: Affirmative, IC3, you are go for takeoff. Good luck out there. Bring us back a Gam or two. SHADOW: Takeoff commencing. Thanks a bunch FC. [narrative on] Shockwaves rippled through his body as the Interceptor screamed down the taakeoff platform and raced into zero gravity space. Shadow adjusted himself as the IC began to calm itself. Just about the time the hull stopped quaking from grav-reflux caused by the shields reaction to lack of matter, Pancake took it's place, and shook like crazy. "Shadow," he asked timidly, swallowing the frog in his throat as he continued, "are you a good pilot?" "I'm alive, ain't I," Shadow quipped, intelligably responding to Pancakes nonprotocol but understandable question. Almost immeadiately, the radar engaged, and red dots appeared everywhere...perhaps the most notable of which was directly within the tiny interceptors proximity ring. The hull screached as metal touched metal at a blinding speed, and the hair on both pilot and co-pilots arms stood up as the electromagnetic field generated by a P-21 Vandal's shields punched through the cockpit and zapped the two GALCOM pilots inside. And then, on top of it all, the Proximity Warning Klaxon sounded...5 seconds later. [rp off]

[rp on] ------- GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +19 hours, 26 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Personal Event Log Entry ------- Just came out of sleep status. I had some spare time before on duty status was to be implemented, so I met up with that Jones fellow. Nice guy, but plays his cards a little too well for me. I'm down to about 66 credits in my GALCOM account, but I have a CreditBar with an emergency 700 stored on it. No problem...It looks like we may be headed for some trouble. I'm prepping for on duty now, then I'll head for the galley, grab a nutripack, and get to the Flight Deck. No low-g STS combat on an empty stomach for me. I hope that Pancake fellow is good...or he'll be coming back in through the aft airlock! :END LOG. :INCOMING GALCOM ONBOARD TRANSMISSION... :FROM: Flight Officer, Tamara Jensen ::Message recieved and decoded:: Shadow! Get your ass to the flight deck PRONTO! I want you in IC3 within a 10 minute window, and find that co-pilot of yours and tell him about protocol! He left his PerScan in the galley! :END OF GALCOM INSHIP TRANSMISSION, HAVE A :NICE DAY.

[rp on] ------- GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +0 hours, 6 minutes IC3 Pilot, Samuel Light, Callsign: Shadow GALCOM operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Personal Event Log Entry ------- I just got out of orientation with the other Pilots and co-pilots. It turns out that I got a rookie greenhorn called "Pancake". What the hell kind of pilot calls himself "pancake"? God...this kid must be as smart as a K'tenk born on the southern ridge of Neptune. I hope he can navigate... On a lighter note, I met one of the engineers just now. Real nice guy. I caught him in the turboshaft on his way to Recycling. His name is Jones. I'll bet he has conections...I coudl really go for some Tau Ranian Ale right about now...and it looks like he'd be the one to get it for me. END LOG.

[rp on] ------- GALCOM OPERATIONS LOG Mission Time: +2 hours, 36 minutes IC3 Pilot, Shadow, operating number: 3667524 SUBJECT: Emergency Log Entry #3509a EMERGENCY LOG BROADCAST OVER INSHIP COMMS SYSTEMS ACTIVATED ___________________ "Whoever is accessing this, get yourself armed NOW!!! There are Gams' all over the ship and they're attacking everything! I am making my way to IC3 as we speak, so if there are marines in the vincinity of the ship, keep it held down!" END INSHIP BROADCAST (narrative on) On my perilous journey to my IC, I passed an engineer- or what looked like one (his uniform was blackened), holding his leg...I wanted to stop and help, but my problems were greater... "MEDIC!!! MEDIC TO PERSONNELL QUARTERS 1! WE HAVE A CREWMEMBER DOWN!!!" I continued down the hall, ducking a blast from the left. A systems status computer had shut down, and the capacitance modulation regulators overheated, causing the console to explode in a shower of sparks. I saw the red flashes of the fire warning indicators light up the hall behind me. "Jesus! Where'd they come from!?" Instinct kicked in... "Computer," I said into my WristCom, "Access TacOps and give me a readout of all enemy craft located outside of our ship!" A list came up on the tiny screen, and a hardly audible voice began to read off the names of the various Gammulan ships outside. 1 Stormcarrier Class Carrier 3 Aestrom Class Battleships 2 Warmonger Class Battleships 12 P-21 Class Support Fighters 6 L-Fighter Class Support Fighters Would you like a list of non enemy craft in our system? "No..." I continued running...at the end of the smoke filled corridor were 2 Gammulan Marines...they had their backs turned, so I ducked into a sahdowy corner, knowing they wouldnt see me. "...access PerScan and calculate the fastest route to IC3 Launch bay, and make sure that there are no intruders are on the way..." The list began to scroll and the tiny voice began to read off directions. An explosion in the hallway ahead of me followed by the dying screams of Gammulan soldiers made me grin...I turned down the hall and saw 3 of our Marines eager to greet me. One of them had a huge gash on his right shoulder. "Why the hell arent you in your quarters where it's safe?!" the tallest of the Soldiers barked at me as he approached from the battle scene... "Oh! You're a pilot! Let's go, men! We gotta get this guy to his IC! PRONTO!!!" They began to move, one heading the group, and two behind. "I'm going to IC3," I yelled to the one up front. He nodded, and we rounded another corner, heading for the closest turboshaft. [rp off] ------------------ Commander Niclolai Chasseur GCV-Trou Noir GALCOM, Orion Fleet "But you said rat poison only killed rats..." Hitlers last words.