[indent][color=gray]
[sub][i]A magical collab between Whoami and Hex.[/i][/sub]

The ceaseless ticking of a clock permeated the mostly empty mess hall. The archaic little device was apparently installed on behalf of the cooks, for some reason that Trapp couldn't really bother to understand. All he knew was that it reminded him of his  parent's house back on Earth and the old grandfather clock that stood in a silent vigil in his father’s study, and that the ticking was slowly driving him insane. He wanted to be anywhere else but he had to vanish the report on Jehan. He tried to find an excuse helping R&D look at the Yggdrasil but they had just pushed him out of the hanger wanting to poke away at their new toy in peace, and with everything else on his checklist of things to do while in FTL having dwindled, he couldn't leave the report for too long.

So for the better part of a day, the commander had sat in relative silence in the far corner of the mess hall, the only place where he could really get any form  of undisturbed peace. Surrounding him were the casualties of war, several empty coffee cups lying upon the table in a scattered array accompanied by a plethora of burnt cigarette butts left deposited upon the floor. He hated writing the reports with a burning passion. The UEE had very strict guidelines on their structure and content, expecting officers to follow those guidelines to the T. In practice this meant distilling very intense moments into the driest and shortest summary ever possibly brought to life by human man. Of course the fact that Trapp was a terrible writer in general didn't help the matter all that much.

After having written and rewritten them at least fifty times in the last hour, the man finished the final words of the report seemingly satisfied. His hand hovered over the send button on the data pad which would instantly stream it over to the Captain for approval. before she sent it out over the secure channels back through the complex web of communication arrays that would eventually find its way back to UEE Naval Command back on Earth, and be briefly looked upon by some underpaid secretary before being filed away and most likely never looked at again.

At that moment he placed the data pad down and made the executive decision to go and hand deliver the report. It was an archaic sentiment but he felt it was good for people to communicate face to face. Adding to that from what he had gathered the Captain had gotten a minor little head injury after their battle and has been in her room more or less trapped by the orders of the  medical staff, arguably some of the scariest people in the whole damn ship. She’d probably appreciate a friendly face to talk to even if her and the commander never really talked that much outside of official business and occasional snide comments during battle. A fact more on Trapp’s part than anything else as he’d been too busy in the last few months he had been aboard the Lincoln adjusting and reorganizing the team to just really talk with anyone.

And so that was how he found himself standing outside the door to the Captain’s door, a half finished cup of coffee in one hand and his datapad in the other. He briefly thought that maybe he should of actually gotten more presentable as he saw his own reflection in the metal door. He wore a simple white tshirt and a pair of black sweatpants, hair a frazzled mess upon his face and the stubble upon his face having slowly accumulated into the beginnings of a beard. But he decided against it and with the back of the hand holding the datapad he knocked upon the door calling out as he did in the characteristic nonchalant tone and disregard for standard military procedures that most 101[sup]st[/sup] pilots seemed to acquire one way or another. [color=lightgreen]“Special Delivery!”[/color]

The door to the captain's quarters opened slowly and Alexis appear behind it. She was rubbing her eyes as Trapp came into view. [color=white][b]"Commander."[/b][/color] she greeted.

Alexis was wearing a black undershirt and a pair of digital black and gray camo fatigues. Her hair was tied back in a simple pony tail. She had a look of fatigue in her eyes, something about her stance showed that she didn't have full control over her balance yet. Alexis gestured Trapp in, [color=white][b]"Come on in."[/b][/color]

The captain led Trapp into her office, Ardin was sitting in her big black leather chair, so she just leaned back against a cabinet. Ardin had a glass of liqueur in his hand, another half empty glass sat on the mahogany desk. Ardin grabbed the glass and reached over to offer it back to Alexis, she waved it off, [color=white][b]"I've had enough of that now."[/b][/color] she mumbled, [color=white][b]"Not helping with the balance."[/b][/color]

Instead, Alexis poured some water and started to nurse it. She looked to her MAS commander, [color=white][b]"It's good to see you're not hurt, commander. It must have been difficult on Jehan..."[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen]“Thanks though to be honest Captain, when you spend two months handcuffed to a pipe in some basement getting tortured by Coalition commandos, something like Jehan seems like a lovely little vacation.”[/color] The commander replied frankly as he ended up sitting at the edge of the Captain’s bed placing the cup of coffee on the floor next to him.[color=lightgreen]“I was more worried about the rest of my team to tell you the truth, but they handled themselves well.”[/color]

[color=lightgreen]“I was just coming over to drop off the report actually.”[/color] He explained waving the datapad in the air. [color=lightgreen]“If I’d known you had company though, I would've just stopped by later.”[/color]

Alexis nodded slowly when Trapp compared his recent captivity with a past one, [color=white][b]"Well, I can't argue with that I suppose."[/b][/color]

Ardin raised a brow when he heard that, [color=gold][i]"Impressive. Captain, you keep inspiring company."[/i][/color]

Alexis didn't respond to that comment, she just eyed the data pad. Hearing Trapp's reason for coming, she pushed herself from the cabinet and approached the commander, [color=white][b]"I can assure you, commander, the company was quite unexpected for me too."[/b][/color]

Ardin chuckled at Alexis' response, [color=gold][i]"Well for the record, I came to collect my serviceman. I didn't realize he was your cousin. I just thought he fancied you. I'm happier with the prior. I figured I would come by to get to know the crew's heroic leader a bit better."[/i][/color]

The captain glanced to Trapp for a moment, the look in her eyes practically said, 'help me out here'. She replied anyways to Ardin, [color=white][b]"Well I hope I did well to satisfy your curiosity then."[/b][/color] Her tone was awkward, she was starting to pick up on Ardin's subtle advances and it put her in a precarious position.

Trapp's eyes flickered Ardin to Alexis as he quickly came to understand the scene in front of him. The commander had grown up surronded by the very rich and the very elite just like Ardin. Just trying to move the Captain out of the situation would not work as he would undoubtedly find an excuse to come along. No he needed to leave out of his own volition. Luckily for Trapp growing up among the high brow elite, also meant that he knew the precise ways in which to turn them aghast with horror. [color=lightgreen] "Ah fuck it."[/color]

Trapp rose from his postion on the bed so that he was facing the Captain with their faces mere inches away from one another. The older man's eyes twinkled with a knowing mischievous look about them like an eight year old boy about to play the biggest prank in the world. He mouthed a very simple words to the [i]Just. Play. Along. Kid.[/i] 

[color=white][i]'Play along? What does he mean by play alo- WHAT THE!?'[/i][/color]

He then leaned in and kissed the Captain. If Trapp was anything he was a showman from Ardin's perspective it would seem to be the most passioante and fiery display of human affection he had ever seen. Though Alexis would feel that their was no emotion or passion in the kiss, it was a simple stage kiss and nothing more. And in one swift motion with the experience of a seasoned man, he swept Alexis off her feet putting her upon the bed. Nonchantly the MAS commander took his shirt off and tossed it in a corner.

Thankfully, Alexis' back was facing Ardin when all of it happened, otherwise he'd see a face of shock and confusion as well as a blush deep enough to match her red hair. If it weren't for her sharp and adaptable mind, she wouldn't have had the tact in order to 'play along'. The house of cards would have tumbled nearly instantly. Of course, Alexis would need to dole out potato-peeling duty. [color=white][i]'Oh god... Ardin is watching this...'[/i][/color] she thought.

[color=lightgreen]"Well you know this makes things rather awkward doesn't it?  We [i]usually[/i] don't have an audience but were not prudes here if you'd like to stay and watch admiral your more than welcome to [i]big[/i] man."[/color] Trapp explained with a wink towards Ardin, as he did so he dropped his sweatpants to his ankles reveling a very tight pair of briefs that left very little to the Imagination. Though if one looked closely they could tell that Trapp was trying very hard  not to begin breaking out into laugther at that very moment.

When she ended up on the bed, she looked up at him with a scrutinous gaze, not a word was spoken. Then his sweats were coming off and she averted her eyes, realizing just how clean she had managed to get the rafters in her room. [color=white][i]'Fraternization. So much for Rear Admiral Marquis.'[/i][/color] her thoughts raced.

She could hear Ardin chuckle and stand from the black leather chair. [color=gold][i]"Well I know when I've overstayed my welcome."[/i][/color] he said and began to straighten out his uniform. He did the neck button of his shirt and pulled the knot of the tie up before slipping his tunic on. He cleared his throat and finished his glass of liqueur, [color=gold][i]"Normally this would have some consequence to it... But I'm just going to forget I ever saw it. As a er-... Reward for fighting valiantly at Jehan."[/i][/color] Ardin left.

Alexis was silent for seconds that felt like minutes. But when she spoke, it was quiet, calm, and collected, [color=white][b]"Commander, put your pants on."[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen]"Already on it madam."[/color] Trapp explained as he managed to redress himself in record time, the whole time barely keeping in the laugther that was boiling up in his stomach. [color=lightgreen]"I don't think the Admiral is going to be bothering you any time soon. That and I might lose my job after this." [/color]

[color=lightgreen]"And you know you could of tried to make that kiss look a [i]little[/i] bit more convincing! You have no sense of showmanship at all kid!"[/color] He explained finally breaking down into laughter as he sat at the foot of the captain's bed once more shaking his head. 

It didn't take long for Alexis to finally crack and laugh along with him. Despite how bad it could have ended up, it turned out to work flawlessly. She sat up on her bed and tried to regain her composure, but she couldn't. The humor of it all helped with taking her mind off of the crippling battle, it was a healthy laughter. [color=white][b]"Jesus, Trapp, that could have gotten us both in some real trouble."[/b][/color] she laughed some more, [color=white][b]"What possessed you to do [i]that[/i] of all the things you could have done>"[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen]"Kid, I spent most of my young life stuck at estates and balls filled with the likes of Ardin. One of the many 'benefits' of having a father in charge of His Imperial Majesty's Diplomatic Corps. They all liked to dance and dress up, not really my style as you may have guessed so instead I found ways of making their lives a living hell much to the chagrin of my parents."[/color] Trapp explained thoughtfully, as moments of time flashed by in his head back to his time as a kid. The nostaliga feeling strange yet welcoming at the strange time.

[color=lightgreen]"So I acted on instinct much like I do everyday piloting a MAS, and well it seemed my gut wasn't wrong this time. You know luckily for us."[/color] He added with a smirk as he began to press a few buttons upon the datapad he had left upon the bed and soon it brought up a holographic picture of a small family of four. A young man looking similair in apperance to Trapp but younger and happier, a pretty if plain woman with long blonde colored hair falling to the small of her back with bright smiling eyes and a well worned face and the two small bundles one that the man was holding and the other the woman taking the form of tiny humans wrapped in blankets.

[color=lightgreen]"...You don't have to worry about any unnecessary advances from me kid. This old man already got his ball and chain."[/color] Trapp explained the smile still present but getting sadder as he gazed at the picture floating in the air.

Alexis studied the image while he spoke, noticing his tone had seemed to change. She looked over to him with a raised brow, [color=white][b]"It's a beautiful family, Trapp. And you're lucky to have a photo. I can hardly remember my old man's face now. When I left for the academy, it wasn't on the best of terms with him. Nearly five years later and I still haven't spoken a word to him."[/b][/color]

Alexis took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, [color=white][b]"Imagine the look on his face when I go back to Earth. I wonder what his first words would be."[/b][/color]

The captain stood up from the bed and paced around, looking at all of the medals, commendations, trophies, and other items decorating the office. Then she remembered her arm, clenching her fist as she did, [color=white][b]"I wonder what he will say when he finds out about the prosthetic."[/b][/color] The doctor had made sure to apply a new layer of fake skin over the scraped away layers at her knuckles.

[color=lightgreen]"That he is sorry? That he blames himself? That he is proud of you? Well that's what I'd say at least."[/color] Trapp responded as he flicked a button on the datapad making the picture that hovered vanish from sight. [color=lightgreen]"All I know kid is that next time you have the chance to talk to him, you should. Life out here is fleeting. One minute you find yourself here and the next your dead and its a simple as that. So you shouldn't give up the chance of at least talking to him."[/color] He explained as he stood up and looked around seemingly caught somewhere between the present and the past.

[color=lightgreen]"Elise died about two years ago. We had this little house on some farming backwater in the outer edges of UEE space, somewhere of total unimportance and unworth that when my next tour of duty was up we could just escape there and never have to come back to the real world. Just live in peace us and the kids. Turns out the Coalition thought otherwise as for them our little farming world could act as a good jumping point into UEE space for them. Raiders attacked the planet and when the people refused to stand down in standrad Coalition fashion they began the staturation bombardment. UEE forces manged to repulse them but only after most of the colony was torched in the process.

 The kids were found in the rubble of our home, hurt but alive. I spent countless nights whenver I wasn't on duty searching through the list of names of refugees coming in, the surviors they managed to pull out hoping that I would see her name somewhere. I never did of course.  So the kids live with my parents now back on Earth, and I haven't even seen them in person since their mom died. The girl is about seven and the boy is five. They must hate me you know? Abandoning them to keep on fighting, to keep on doing the only thing I can to try and keep them safe. But they are the only reason I can still do this job, the only reason I can wake up everyday and kill more people and send more innocent kids to their death. I don't do it for any god damn emperor, I don't do it for ideals of patriotism, I don't do it for the pay and I don't do it because I particularly like the killing. I do it to keep them safe."[/color] Trapp explained with the same matter of fact tone that he spoke about everything from the weather, to combat, to now even his own personal tragedies. 

[color=lightgreen]"So yeah kid. I'm sure your dad is waiting for you, cheering for you. Telling everybody that can listen that his daugther is going to do the only thing a parent ever wants from their kid. For them to do better than them."[/color] He explained as he reached out and put a surprisingly gentle hand on her replacement arm. [color=lightgreen]"Doesn't matter that you are part plastic kid. You are still his daugther. Nothing in the world can change that."[/color]

Alexis felt the hand on her arm and took in a deep breath as she listened to Trapp's voice. She had to admit, he was good at consolling. Alexis was too humble to say that for herself, but it was a trait that many people responsible for the lives of others had. Alexis nodded, [color=white][b]"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I should get in contact with my family whenever we return to UEE space."[/b][/color]

Alexis felt a spike of excitement at the thought of speaking to her family again. A part of her was anxious about what they might say. [color=white][b]"Thanks, Trapp. I think I needed that, what with all that's happened lately."[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen]"Don't mention it. I'm good at three things consoling, drinking my problems away and killing people. I've killed enough people for today and I'm no mood to drink from a bottle that Ardin picked out, so I guess I had no choice but to console."[/color] He explained with a smirk. [color=lightgreen]"But sometimes you do just need to sit back and remember why you are fighting in the first place. Puts all of this crap into context in terms of the bigger picture. Cause in the end to our  great sorrow, we find out everybody dies and we all get shit. so we gotta hold onto the glimmers in the rough while we can. "[/color] He told her gesturing his hand at the invisible nothingness above and all that it contained. Realizing quickly enough that his job here was done he stood up and made his way towards the door.

[color=lightgreen]"So that report is still on the bed when you finally want to take a peek at it."[/color] The commander turned his head over his shoulder and there was a sly smirk on his look as he throw back one last comment in the direction of the young woman. For a moment he saw past the auspices and the military genius and saw the young woman underneath and for a moment it reminded him of himself some time ago. [color=lightgreen]"Oh and kid? I suggest that if you don't want to upset all your admirers and severly dampen the morale of my squad, that you best practice your kissing skills. They are subpar at best."[/color] And with a wink he walked out the door and vanished out of sight.

[color=lightgreen][center][i] ///December 15[sup]th[/sup] 2899
/// Lieutenant Commander August Johannes Trapp
/// Report upon the incident on Jehan for viewing by UEE Naval High Command
/// The engagment began....
/// And It is with great certainty, that I can say that all personal performed their tasks with the outmost valor and commitment to beat back the Coalition forces both on the ground and in orbit around Jehan.[/i][/center][/color]
[/color][/indent]
[center][color=lime]__________[/color][/center]

[color=gray]Captain Marquis stepped into the bridge after she had taken the time her doctor had insisted she take to recover. The Lincoln had been in the tube for three days, things were peaceful for the first time since Cerol. There was still the grim attitude lurking in the air throughout the corridors of the Lincoln, faded stains of blood still marred the otherwise clean halls of the ship. Blood never truly goes away.

Aston noticed Alexis arrive and turned to face her. He salute sharply, [color=white][i]"Captain on deck!"[/i][/color] The rest of the crew in the bridge stood and saluted. Alexis waved them all down.

[color=white][b]"As you were."[/b][/color] Alexis stepped up onto the command platform and looked over the display, [color=white][b]"Aston, I hope my ship hasn't fallen into disrepair while I was confined to my quarters."[/b][/color]

Aston shook his head, [color=white][b]"No ma'am. I know how you like it, so I did my best to keep it up to that standard. The hangar bays have been fixed up to something presentable. The 7th is as comfortable as ever. And despite the damage, the Lincoln is running at optimal levels."[/b][/color]

Alexis nodded and began to look over her datapad, [color=white][b]"Good. Have you managed to glean any information from the PoW that Hark brought from Jehan's moon?"[/b][/color]

Aston chuckled, [color=white][i]"Me? No. Hark? He's damn persuasive, in a horrible way."[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"He isn't called the Bloodhound for no reason."[/b][/color] Alexis said as she looked over information.

One of the crewmen looked up from his station, the navigation officer, [color=white][i]"Ma'am we're about to leave hyperspace."[/i][/color]

Then the communications officer spoke up, [color=white][i]"The FEZ is inquiring about our arrival, captain."[/i][/color]

Alexis looked at the display as saw as it changed to a broad view of the FEZ's territory. [color=white][b]"Tell them what we need. Repairs, supplies, medical aid."[/b][/color]

[color=white][i]Yes, captain.[/i][/color]

The Lincoln's AI began to countdown, [color=royalblue][i]"Exiting hyperspace in three... two... one..."[/i][/color]

The Lincoln decellerated quickly. The contents of the ship lurched and the crew had been told to secure themselves. Once the Lincoln had come to a stop, Alexis zoomed in the display, showing the FEZ space station and the planet below. Alexis could see mixed signatures in the local space, UEE and Coalition ships both civillian and military. One of the FEZ mandates detailed that they were a neutral territory. Any conflict would result in the ships in question to be impounded and their crew detained until an envoy from their empire could be sent to oversee their release. It created a level of organization and uneasy truce. Opposing warships would be side by side in the docks, trade vessels would sharing goods that normally wouldn't be permitted in any other territory. In rare occasions, soldiers from either side would sit together and share a drink.

In wartime, the FEZ was policed heavily. FEZ warships and even mercenary PMC ships patrolled the neutral zone. Despite the fragile peace in FEZ space, there was always an air of tension about. Nobody ever truly relaxed and many people kept their hands close to a weapon. The FEZ always, unintentionally, catered to the seedy individuals of the galaxy. There was no shortage of mercs for hire and smuggling and other illegal activities. Contraband was easily found in the FEZ, which made it an ideal place for ships of all factions to travel to when in a pinch.[/color]