QCS Interval 1: Thunderhead

[United human countries]

Evan's head bobbed up and down. "Sometimes, yes. They're supposed to send an extraction team by tomorrow at the latest. We've held here for a couple weeks, I think we can hold for one night."


On board ship

"You our Shenyangi?" Edward held up his hand. "No time for introductions, hit the flight deck. First Vogel you'll find, that's our bird."

[Mereshka]

"So...we just wait here then?" It was obvious that she didn't quite like that idea, though whether it was from a go-getter attitude, or rather the dislike of boredom wasn't quite clear. She quickly resolved to make the best of the situation however, as made apparent by her next question; "So, is there anything to do? Fortifications to be made, watches to be kept, pest control even?"

[Heaven Hieghts]

Florian put his watch and its glass pieces in the locker with his civilian clothing and presented himself ready, moving toward the exit he slowed his pace for the others.

[United human countries]

Evan shook his head, his helmet swaying to and fro. "Nothing for you two, at least. We've got enough manpower as it is."

[Mereshka]

"Well humph." She said, nearly pouting. She folded her arms, and gurmbled to herself. "Fine, I'll just go find something to eat..." She mumbled, striding off.

[Shenyang]

The man simply nodded and double-timed it back the way he'd come. 24 years of experience under his belt and the officers of every command still treated him the same. Well, most of them anyway.

Arriving on the flight deck he made an educated guess which aircraft the board and took a seat near the rear, unslinging his MSG-90 and carefully loading a 20-round magazine into the weapon and releasing the charging handle with a satisfying 'clack'.

[Sylvonia]

Tobias stashed what little he had left that he didn't need and quickly caught up to Florian, patting him on the back. "Buck up and hurry up. We've got places to be!" He had a sense of excitement about himself. Not the "What the hell am I doing?" kind, more like a child on their favorite roller coaster. Hurrying past Florian, he headed to the flight deck, following Nikolai into the bird and sitting as far forward as he thought polite.

[Heaven Hieghts]

Florian picked up the pace and rushed on behind Tobias and made up to the bird a step behind him. Sitting down, he sat up straight holding his fire arm like a new born in his arms.

[Shenyang]

Nikolai looked over to see Florian cradling his weapon like an infant.

"It's a rifle, not a child. If you're afraid of letting it get a little scratched up on the flight over, then how do you plan on using it to actually kill things?"

[United human countries]

"Shoot once and clean everything." Floated a voice from the cockpit. "Frank Green. I'll be your pilot."

[Sylvonia]

Tobias chuckled at Nikolai. "He's right. It'll be fine." He took the rifle off of his own shoulder, made sure the safety was on, and plunked it down beside himself. "I hate to say it, but the Union makes some of the best weapons around. It'll survive in one piece." When Frank spoke, he looked to the cockpit. "Nice to meet you, Frank."

[Shenyang]

"That's more like it. Chief Warrant Officer Class-4 Nikolai Kupchenko of the Shenyangi Special Air Service. You can call me Dagger-4 for now."

He sounded more relieved than anything.

[United human countries]

"Good to meet you, too, Sylovnian. Why doesn't every have themselves a nice seat an' buckle in. We've got some turbulence to go through before we can get free and clear. Puke doesn't look good on my floor, y'know?"

"Same to you, Dagger-4. Nice to know I'll be working with call signs again. Reminds me of my Navy days."


Elsewhere

"Why wouldn't you want to get something to eat? It's been hours since we've eaten, running the entire time, but.." Patrick's voice trailed off. "Then again, you do come from some foreign place. Who knows.

[Shenyang]

"Can we skip the turbulence and just cut straight to the dropping everyone off part? I think everyone'd appreciate that."

Nikolai turned in his seat, twisting the harness as he went so that he could get a clear shot out of the aircraft.

[Sylvonia]

"I should introduce myself. The name's Tobias Schulz." He stated plainly before looking to his comrades. "Nobody here's got a weak stomach, do you?" He tried to make it obvious turbulence sounded like fun.

[United human countries]

"Well, there's a rain storm above us, pretty high winds past three hundred feet. Either we get soaked and fly too low, or we go through the turbulence and fly high and dry."

[Heaven Hieghts]

Florian grinned at Tobias. "No better than our Vosdrosslis."

[Sylvonia]

"High and dry sounds like the fun route." Tobias smirked. "And," he said to Florian, "No better than half the weapons I would have brought with if my CO had let me."

[Heaven Hieghts]

"Hah! Model and make mind me asking?"

[Sylvonia]

"Actually, I do mind. Not that I don't trust you, but I work with experimentals, trade secrets and all." He shrugged apologetically. "That, and I don't bother remembering one specific model cause it's just gonna get changed out in a month. There's one that got approved and will be in hands tomorrow though, the Crimson, as we called it. Probably the best one I've tried yet."

[Heaven Hieghts]

"I understand. In the Guard I did something similar, though things were often a lot more gruesome than the way you put it..." He trailed off and his face became blank when he suddenly caught himself and looked back up at Tobias. "Things were bad, that's all I have to say."

[Sylvonia]

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "I don't think your Guard does what I do. Then again, I don't work with some of the worst stuff in my division." He shuddered at what Bio was cooking up. He'd caught a buddy at the bar a few weeks ago, and things didn't sound good for one of the lab techs.

[Shenyang]

"There's a saying, 'a railgun and an AK47 both kill you just as dead.' The newest hardware isn't always the best." He ran his hand along the exposed section of barrel on his rifle in an indicative fashion.

[United human countries]

"Unless that new hardware is magentically propelled." Frank coughed. "Just saying."

[Sylvonia]

"While true, I do enjoy testing out the new hardware. I have a 60 year old revolver that belonged to my grandfather and I do believe it's the best handgun I've ever used." Tobias smiled at the memory of his grandfather teaching him how to use it with his father watching and aiding where his grandfather's hands were too unsteady. He snapped out of the memory and looked to Frank. "Not a big fan of magnets myself. I've seen too many batteries die. Then again, I'm not good with electronic things."