Facing the clear screen window, Tolliver viewed the station before him as well as the 12th MAS who were out to meet the Coalition pilots. Waiting for his orders to relay, he sees that an exchange of fire glows from the coalition side and then onto his own when a 12th pilot returned fire. His hand was halfway to keying his headset before he got up from his seat, looking at the pods ejecting from the UEE ship nearby them. A few moments of processing later a familiar voice chirped in his ear. [i]"Sir we have reports from the bridge that the Terracotta has launched its lifeboats."[/i] Swiftly responding to his subordinate Tolliver duly said [i]"Aye, although it's statistically unusual for any ship to do so in this situation I have my eyes on my pilots. Keep an eye on it for me."[/i]

[i]"Yes sir."[/i]


Attica station looked somewhat pretty when the massive explosion on the side of it, reality kicked in when the stress hit the aging commander. The after action report was probably going to be written by him, casualty counts and the whole nine yards probably. A small price to pay for a stoic desk job and a front row seat to the battle. His train of thought was broken when that annoying AI began to spout orders to him straight from the Captain Herself. "Orders from the Captain..." Yea yea yea, move the 12th and check out the Terracotta. If that's what was needed then it's what would be done. Spare the Security Forces the job of boarding, let them hold the fort. He opened a channel to the 12th's squad leader.

[i]"Shaw, disengage from the Coalition fighters. Your team is to move to investigate the lifeboats, account for them and check for anything strange with the launch around the Terracotta, maintain comms at all costs there is an attempt from the Coalition - possibly a third party to jam comms.  Keep your squad on a need to know basis, I don't need any trigger fingers or heroes."[/i]

Tolliver keys off the mic and switches to another channel ears still on Shaw's for a response.

[i]Weyland, mobilize security team A and have them board a shuttle to board the Terracotta - Team B is on QRF.
 RoE is fire upon receiving fire, keep constant comms with me. Sitrep every five minutes, you go dark we're coming for you.[/i]

[i]Aye sir![/i]

[hr]

[i]"Scared?"[/i]

An older security forces corporal jeers at his compatriot, he seems to be in his late forties - his grey hair prodding from his helmet. He towered over the younger corporal, he was six foot five and the junior was just five eight. [i]"No, I'm just uncertain."[/i] The junior responded as he looked up at him, his rifle in hand as he constantly checked it as if it was broken.

[i]"Don't worry, we won't be doing anything - we're the QRF."[/i] The older corporal grunts, spitting on the floor leaving an oozing fluid of saliva to grace the blessed floors of the ship.

[i]"How can you be sure, I mean. Yea I don't like this - no one does but it's our job. You should be less cynical Markus."[/i]

The old man checks his watch, before looking back up to the young man.

[i]"Hope is such a fickle thing."[/i]