Fangs Out & Hair Afire

[FC Error]

[x]Talk to Ghost
-[x] Put up celebrating the contract's completion
-[x] What might the next contract have you two doing?

Switching over to intercom, you reattach you mask. "Hey, Ghost. Contract's done. Do we get a raise, do you think?"

The small German chuckles. "Just a ribbon, I think. The budget isn't inexhaustible. Speaking of contracts, though, apparently the higher-ups have already sent out briefing packages for the next ones we are offered."

You hmm at this. The company bosses generally condense the legalese of the contracts down to a simplified briefing and distribute it, leaving the pilots to decide exactly what contracts to take. "Rumour mill have any idea who we might end up with next?"

"The California contract did have a renewal clause. Beyond that… well. Rumour mill suggests everything - from the New Englanders to the Russians."

You snicker at this. "Well, assuming Bunny doesn't pull us together immediately for a post-op, what say we go out for a celebratory drink?"

"If you think you can keep up," she replied, a teasing lilt in her voice. "I seem to recall Tallboy drinking you under the table, not too long ago."

"That man," you grumble, "Has the constitution of a particularly angry bear. Bugger didn't even have a hangover the next morning."

Ghost's only reply is to laugh at you.

____


Operation Golden Snake complete!

Kills:

Air Kills:
None


Ground Kills:
Base Mission Pay = $500,000
Hangar (x2) = $100,000
C-17 Globemaster (x4) = $200,000


Incidentals:
Office Tower (Damaged) - No casualties


Mission Total: $800,000
Account Total: $2,300,000

_____

Edwards Air Force Base - 22 March, 2020
19:05 hours

Landing gear hits pavement, and you pull the throttles back; letting friction slow your bird before turning off the runway and taxiing over to Echo flight's designated hangar. Tapping the brakes, you halt your plane and kill the engines - the descending whine lost amongst the other turbines out on the tarmac.

Popping open the canopy, you start your postflight checklist - wincing as the evening California air (still rather too hot for you) hits.

"Hey, you two." comes Gunbunny's voice.

A glance reveals her standing next to your bird, a crew chief's headset plugged in. "Yeah?" You query.

"Contract briefing at ten tomorrow. Everyone's got the night off, provided you're back on-base by oh-four hundred." the Californian woman informs you. "We'll do debriefs at the same time. Just remember to stay under the drink limit or I will kick your ass from here to L.A. myself."

"Yes'm." You respond with an intentionally-sloppy salute - she mock-glowers at you, then unplugs and wanders off towards Tallboy's Fulcrum.

"Thinking of heading out to a bar?" Ghost queries from behind you.


>[] Not often we get a free pass to go out and have fun. Why not?
>[] The O-Club on base will be dead quiet, with everyone out and about. Could drop in there.
>[] Maybe just somewhere low-key? Not feelin' up to crowds, tonight.
>[] Let Ghost decide.
>[] Write-in!

 

[VileScurvy]

[X] Not often we get a free pass to go out and have fun. Why not?

The town. It will be red tomorrow.

 

[TerraOracle]

[X] Not often we get a free pass to go out and have fun. Why not?
-[X] Let Ghost decide.

 

[Nevill]

[x] Let Ghost decide.

 

[FC Error]

[X] Not often we get a free pass to go out and have fun. Why not?
-[X] Let Ghost decide.

"Don't often get a 'go out and have fun' pass," you reply, "could be fun. Can't say I'm overly familiar with the local bars, though. Ideas?"

She pauses a moment - considering, probably - and you unclip yourself from your O2 and comm leads, hopping out of the cockpit onto the ladder the ground techs rolled up for you. Leaning against the fuselage, you quirk an eyebrow at your other half as she disconnects her own comms and straps. Raising the visor on her flight helmet, she glances up at you.

"Jolly did mention a newer place - very new, from his description - that might suit. Some sort of lounge-bar combination, I believe." You hmm.

"Sounds good to me. I-hold on a tick," you interrupt yourself, spotting Tallboy waving you over, "apparently somebody wants my attention."

Ghost barely acknowledges you, still finishing the power-down checklist, and you drop down the ladder and head over to the lanky man, dodging ground techs as you go.

"You seem excited." You observe to Tallboy. He just grins, waving a folder at you.

"Boss dropped these and said to give everyone a copy. Looks like the rundown on our new contract options. Pausing, he throws a glance towards the hangar behind you. "Normally not this fast, though."

"Well, love to talk these over, but we-" you gesture at your backseater "-have a meeting with a bar and a few drinks, so I think we'll defer these to tomorrow."

He nods, waving, and heads towards the flight's bunkhouse - well, quonset hut - leaving you to trundle back over to your plane. "Shall we?" you ask, doffing your helmet. Tabby nods, and you both head in to clean up and change.

_____

"Y'know," you observe, "not that I'm complaining, but I was expecting something more… modern. Energetic, maybe. I feel like I've just stepped into the forties."

The diminutive woman beside you shrugs, shifting on her barstool. "I think it's supposed to be one of those… callback places? Throwback? Something like that."

They've certainly managed that, you muse, looking around. Frankly, the place looks like an honest-to-god piano bar - complete with wood panelling, waistcoats, and even ashtrays. Actual ashtrays. You'd almost forgotten they existed, frankly.

>[] Chat with Ghost; what discuss?
>[] Drinking contest! "If you can keep up," indeed.
>[] Write-in!

A query, by the way; not sure if anyone has a preference but I was going to slow this quest to one update per day (updating sometime in the evening, EST). Thoughts/opinions?

 

[Nevill]

[x] Drinking contest! "If you can keep up," indeed.

Once/day is already considered a fast pacing for quests.

 

[TerraOracle]

[x] Drinking contest! "If you can keep up," indeed.

Whatever pace you feel comfortable with, do.

 

[FC Error]

Once/day is already considered a fast pacing for quests.

Click to shrink...

I learned questing on /tg/ - once daily is positively glacial, to me.

 

[VileScurvy]

[X] Chat with Ghost
[X] How's the family holding up, yadda yadda.
[X] Reminisce over past victories.

 

[FC Error]

[X] Drinking contest! "If you can keep up," indeed.

Finishing the glass in front of you, you plonk it firmly on the countertop and direct a Challenging Look towards your partner.

Catching your meaning, she slides her own glass next to yours. "Are you sure?", she inquires, giving you a skeptical look.

"Abso-lutely," you reply with gusto, waving the barkeep over. "You were basically asking for it, earlier. Bartender," you turn to address the aforementioned, "would you be so kind as to pour us another round? Keep them coming until one of us falls over or we hit our limit, if you please."

The mustachioed man observes you blankly for a moment, then nods and refills your glasses. Raising your pint, you slam it back; draining the glass like your life depended on it.

Well. As if your dignity depended on it, anyway.

Finishing, you let out a breath and set your mug back on the counter; Ghost mirroring the action, a smirk twisting the corners of her mouth upwards.

The barkeep pours out another round, and you brace yourself for the nigh-impossible task you have set yourself: out-drinking the flight's resident German.

_____

You're not entirely sure how many drinks you've gone through, but the clock says you've been here almost three hours. Or maybe four. Everything's a bit wobbly, to be honest.

Similarly, you have no idea when most of Bravo flight showed up, much less where they found the top hats, but the Aardvark drivers started (quietly) cheering the two of you on, so you took it in stride and kept rolling.

Almost literally; you're gripping the bar desperately, trying not to fall off the planet, and even Ghost is looking a bit unbalanced. Or a lot. Tough to tell, what with your alcohol-induced instability.

A misplaced surge of pride passes through you - you actually said (well, thought) 'instability' without tripping over yourself! Well done you!

Yeah, you're drunk.

"Hey, fella." A hand clasps your shoulder, accompanying the Texas drawl. Johnny. Wait, no. Jolly. "You look a mite sloshed. What say we getcha back ta base?"

"I greatly fear that I cannot, my good friend," you slur at him, "For I have pledged-ed myself to this battle of wits and constitut'n! I must continue until I am either victorious, or slain upon the battlefield." You sweep your hand around the room for emphasis - and immediately return to clinging to the bar counter.

"So ah see," the mud-mover grins at you, "but barkeep says you two hit yer limit on that last glass, son."

"Foiled by the bell!" you mutter, standing - and immediately collapsing.

Strong hands lift you, and Jolly wraps your arm around his shoulders, the Texan's sizable frame supporting your weight easily. "C'mon, pilot, let's get you back home."

Half-stumbling, half-being-dragged, you make your way out into the parking lot, whereupon you're unceremoniously dumped into the backseat of a car - probably Jolly's - and Ghost is deposited beside you, murmuring something incoherent as the 'Vark driver starts up and begins the trip back to Edwards.

Someone grabs you, pulling you into the middle of the seat; frowning, you look around, absently brushing white hair out of the way; all you see, though, is the empty seat beside you. Weird, you decide, sitting back and letting the world slowly cease it's loop-the-loops around you.

_____

Wakefulness comes gradually; you slowly ease your way into consciousness, without even the standard sunlight-in-the-eyes you've come to expect from Echo flight's quonset hut.

Cracking open your eyes cautiously, you're greeted by the ceiling of a... quonset hut. Seems you're on-base, at least. Cautiously raising your head, you squint at the room through the film on your eyes - unfamiliar posters on the walls, a garishly-painted footlocker next to the bed beside yours, and a large sign reading "BRAVO" over the door. That answers that, then.

A squeeze of your ribs and a pained groan get your attention - turning to look, you're greeted by a mess of white hair, and a sleeping Ghost, latched onto you rather firmly.

You're… not sure how to feel about this.

>[] Write-in: indicate your feel.

Additionally;
>[] Wake her up, cautiously - you've intruded on Bravo flight's room long enough.
>[] Let her sleep - you'd rather not risk the Wrath. You should probably talk to Jolly, anyways.

 

[TerraOracle]

[x] First thing's first: check under the blanket.
-[x] If you and Ghost are clothed:
--[x] That's a major bullet dodged. Try and find out the time; if you have some to spare, take a minute to just lay there and let yourself wake up; Ghost could use it herself, you're sure. Then cautiously rouse her.
--[x] If you don't have time to spare, wake her up right away; again, keep cautious.

-[x] If you and Ghost aren't clothed:
--[x] Don't panic!
---[x] Physically at least.
--[x] Wake her up; cautious but urgent.
--[x] Think of something to say that will save you a beating as you do.

 

[Nevill]

[x] Ignore it. You were too drunk for anything to happen last night, though you probably will be the butt of your fellow pilots' jokes.

[x] Let her sleep - you'd rather not risk the Wrath. You should probably talk to Jolly, anyways.

 

[Pyro Hawk]

[x] First thing's first: check under the blanket.
-[x] If you and Ghost are clothed:
--[x] That's a major bullet dodged. Try and find out the time; if you have some to spare, take a minute to just lay there and let yourself wake up; Ghost could use it herself, you're sure. Then cautiously rouse her.
--[x] If you don't have time to spare, wake her up right away; again, keep cautious.

-[x] If you and Ghost aren't clothed:
--[x] Don't panic!
---[x] Physically at least.
--[x] Wake her up; cautious but urgent.
--[x] Think of something to say that will save you a beating as you do.

 

[VileScurvy]

[x] First thing's first: check under the blanket.
-[x] If you and Ghost are clothed:
--[x] That's a major bullet dodged. Try and find out the time; if you have some to spare, take a minute to just lay there and let yourself wake up; Ghost could use it herself, you're sure. Then cautiously rouse her.
--[x] If you don't have time to spare, wake her up right away; again, keep cautious.

-[x] If you and Ghost aren't clothed:
--[x] Don't panic!
---[x] Physically at least.
--[x] Wake her up; cautious but urgent.
--[x] Think of something to say that will save you a beating as you do.

 

[FC Error]

[x] First thing's first: check under the blanket.

Pulling the covers up cautiously, you take a quick look - and barely restrain your panic at your complete lack of pants. Or much of anything else. Letting the sheet fall back into place, you resist the urge to hyperventilate, reassuring yourself that you can still get out of this alive-

-and then you remember this is Bravo's bunkroom, and thus they all probably know, and conclude that you are doomed.

The RIO-turned-limpet clamped to your side stirs, and you freeze - desperately trying to think of something, anything, you can say to not get yourself snapped in half-

Ghost shifts, then freezes as well, apparently having noticed the current Situation. Yep, you muse, doomed.

"Did we…" her voice is barely audible. You rack your brains, and come up with an alcohol-induced blank, and wince.

"I genuinely have no idea." you respond, keeping your voice low. Ghost shivers, draws back slightly, and you brace yourself for a beating - but no fists come flying. No, what she does is infinitely, inexpressibly, worse. She cuddles.

"Deal with this later," comes the whisper, "after caffeine." Snuggling up to you again, she simply buries her head in the crook of your arm. You remain quiet and still - they can smell fear.

The cuddling, however, gives rise (hah) to another problem - which might well be misinterpreted by the Tiny Terror next to you, if noticed.

And as if the universe is mocking you, Jolly appears in the small window inset in the door - a shit-disturbing grin on his face. He leans towards the door, apparently coming in, but you shake your head almost imperceptibly, flicking your eyes at Ghost. He nods - grin still firmly in place - and vanishes.

Letting your head fall back onto the pillow, you sigh silently.

_____

You're not sure how long it is before Ghost reaches up, grabs the pillow, and whacks it down over your face. "Getting dressed. Don't move if you know what's good for you."

As you do, in fact, have a sense of self-preservation, you follow this instruction - listening as she hunts down her clothing and dresses, and remain until she pulls the pillow off your eyes. Looking rather rumpled (oh god the rumour mill is gonna be working overtime), she points to a pile of your clothes on the floor.

"We will talk about all this, later." the tiny-yet-incomprehensibly-terrifying woman intones, and with that, she departs out into the base - presumably in search of caffeine.

You lie still, allowing the sound of her footsteps to fade, staring up at the ceiling.

"Help." you ask of the world at large.

>[] Find some caffeine yourself - you damn well need it after this. Everything else can damn well wait.
>[] Find Jolly, and try and stop the rumour mill before it gets going too fast. Coffee would also be nice.
>[] Follow Ghost - you have the sinking feeling that little talk she mentioned is coming sooner, not later, might as well just get it over with.
>[] Write-in!

 

[TerraOracle]

[x] Find some caffeine yourself - you damn well need it after this. Everything else can damn well wait.
[x] Find Jolly, and try and stop the rumour mill before it gets going too fast. Coffee would also be nice.

 

[VileScurvy]

[x] Find some caffeine yourself - you damn well need it after this. Everything else can damn well wait.
[x] Find Jolly, and try and stop the rumour mill before it gets going too fast. Coffee would also be nice.

 

[Nevill]

[x] Find some caffeine yourself - you damn well need it after this. Everything else can damn well wait.

 

[FC Error]

[X] Find some caffeine yourself - you damn well need it after this. Everything else can damn well wait.
[X] Find Jolly, and try and stop the rumour mill before it gets going too fast. Coffee would also be nice.

Mustering your motivation, you roll out of bed, dress, and make tracks for the mess - whatever complaints you may have about the food, at least the coffee here is consistently good.

Thankfully, the mess is nearly empty - mainly support staff, with Jolly and Big Boy, his rightseater, off in a corner - directing identical shit-eating grins your way. A scan of the room finds no sign of Ghost, which is both reassuring and deeply concerning.

Acquiring a cuppa (black, no sugar), you stroll on over to Jolly's table and park yourself on a seat opposite the 'Vark driver - those damn grins tracking you the whole way.

"Before you ask," drawls the cheerful southerner, derailing your already-precarious train of thought, "yer little lady wandered through about a minute ago, stole a coffee, and left."

"Mmm." you acknowledge, sipping your drink. "Rumour mill got going yet?"

"Surprisin'ly, no," comes the reply, "but the lady 'erself was looking ready to kill. Make o' that what ya will."

"I'm probably dead," you say conversationally, "so for the moment, I'll assume she's on the warpath. Mind keeping this on the down-low as much as you can? I don't mind taking shit from the squadron, but I'd rather not have Ghost in the firing line."

"We will never let you forget this," Big Boy interjects, grin widening, "and we will give you shit for it from now until the day we die, but it'll stay between us."

You let out a sigh. "Your flight?"

"Saw precisely diddly an' squat." Jolly returns. "They decided to rent one of them fancy hotel rooms for the night, an' the ones that weren't decided to crash with the MPs in that sad excuse for a lockup."

A weight lifts off your chest; you're not sure which god is smiling down upon you, but you're fervently thankful.

"In that case, I have, in no particular order, some briefings to read, a Ghost to try and pacify, and a shallow grave to dig for myself. TTFN, lads." Waving, you nurse your coffee as you head out the door and down the hall towards the briefing rooms.

_____

Leafing through the folder marked "ECHO 2-1 & 2-2", you make your way towards the hangar - your mildly hungover and still-waking-up brain having finally reminded you Ghost tends to gravitate there when upset, for whatever reason - when you spot the Kraut in question standing at the door to Echo flight's barracks quonset hut, looking pensively towards the four Eagles on ready-alert, at the far end of the runway.

You change course towards her, fighting down the sudden image of no you really shouldn't focus on earlier right now. Coming to a halt next to the door, you hesitate - Ghost seems oblivious to the worlds around her, for the moment.

>[] Get her attention - if she's angry at you, best to know straight-up.
>[] Get her attention - you have the briefings on your next contract options, might as well get the official stuff out of the way.
>[] Execute a tactical retreat - you can go over these on your own for now, and the Wrath can be dealt with later.
>[] Write-in!

 

[Nevill]

[x] Execute a tactical retreat - you can go over these on your own for now, and the Wrath can be dealt with later.

 

[TerraOracle]

[x] Get her attention - you have the briefings on your next contract options, might as well get the official stuff out of the way.
[x] If she's up to talk without killing you after, do so. If not, leave her alone.

 

[FC Error]

>only two votes
>both opposing the other

Guess we're dropping to once every other day, instead of daily.

 

[TerraOracle]

>only two votes
>both opposing the other

Guess we're dropping to once every other day, instead of daily.

Click to shrink...

AH HAHAHA--
Ah well

 

[moonberserker]

[x] Get her attention - you have the briefings on your next contract options, might as well get the official stuff out of the way.

 

[Strypgia]

[X] Get her attention - if she's angry at you, best to know straight-up.