And Death Rained Down

Posted on Sun Mar 1st, 2020 @ 8:16pm by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Lieutenant Commander Kameron "Foehammer" Solusar-Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 36: The Crusade Against the Infidels
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1130Hrs - June 29th, 2391

Flight Captain Tom 'Fives' Lasky was presently flying against the members of First Squadron, First Wing as it was a simple Escort Three Federation Freighters through an asteroid field between two Nav Buoys. He had selected Kameron to fly the lead for the aggressor flight which task was to destroy the Freighters and the Federation flight of four Peregrine Class Starfighters.

"Red Lead to Freighter Crynyd One, whats your status?

The response came back, as a smile graced Five's face under his mask as he had named the freighters quite deliberately for his first Wing Commander when he was a young pilot, named Arvel Crynyd.

"Red Lead, we're still patrolling the area, heading for the nav point."

"Understood. Red Flight with me!" Fives called.

"We got your back Fives." came the voice of one of the younger pilots who's name Fives had forgotten when a blip appeared on the display. "Federation Freighter Group Crynyd, you will stop your ships and prepare to be boarded. if not then we'll space you and take your cargo anyway." came the rather angry voice of Kameron Yamaguchi.

Fives narrowed his eyes as he realized that something wasn't right when he watched his threat indicator light up, someone was painting him for a warhead lock, he smiled and rather then go full evasive, he turned and went for the target as he quickly realized that it was Kameron himself who was going for him.

Kameron was enraged as he fired off a half dozen warheads, he watched as Fives shot down several of them but two of them hit home, reducing Fives to a fireball of molten matter, shattered wreckage and memories.

Fives knew he had been killed. "Nice Kill Foehammer."

"Yeah." came the half-expected response "Whatever." came the unusual response.

Fives's eyes opened wide as he heard the malice in the other man's voice, the black rage that threatened to overwhelm him, he decided he would do something about it after the end of the exercise but for now, he would leave it be as he watched Kameron dismantle one more of his warbirds before the other two killed Kameron by double-teaming and overwhelming him.

Kameron, however, had simply launched off all of his remaining warheads at the lead Freighter, who's shields collapsed and the last two warheads impacted after the shields fell, the first simply impacted on armor plating while the second impacted a second later, punching through the weakened section of armor and detonating inside the ship, which in the end turned the Freighter into a massive fireball.

Fives watched in silence as the exercise turned out to be what he had expected, a rout because Kameron had used different and unexpected tactics, he had never intended to capture the freighters, but rather to destroy them. All of this went through Lasky's mind as he sighed while he popped the seals on his hatch before hauling himself out.

One of the younger pilots was busy having a go at Kameron who simply shoved him back. "Shut it junior," he growled before the other pilot took a swing at him, Kameron blocked it then he hit him back once, then twice and several more times before others moved in to break it up. Kameron didn't stop swinging. "Come here you little bastard... I'll fucking dismember you."

"Oh Yeah Foehammer... you're fucking nuts man!" the other pilot roared. "You've fucking lost it!" as he added. "Your a fucking basket case!."

Fives came over. "Attention.." he snapped loudly.

Yamaguchi and everyone else did so as best they could. "Whats all this about?"

"He fucking cheated skipper!" the younger pilot pointed to Foehammer. "In a fair fight, I'll fucking kill him."

"Swear at me one more time and I'll tear off something you'll need later. Junior Flight Officer." Fives responded in a cool tone while not raising his voice. "Now... there is no such thing as a fair fight... never expect it... Foehammer did what he had to do, he saw me as the greatest threat to himself... so he drowned me in ordinance and then he killed you... the rest of you didn't see it coming because you all did not work together to deal with the greatest threat to yourselves.."

Yamaguchi stood in silence, his face unreadable but there was no mistaking the roiling emotions that were going through his system.

"You all were scattered around... that was my fault as much as all of yours... but nobody else commented on it and I shouldn't have to comment on it. I expected you to have my back while I faced down the lead bad guy.." Fives explained. "Four, you were too far away... Three, you and Two were looking backwards the way we have come instead of having your heads on a swivel." he explained his pilots errors and screw-ups.

Once he finished with his own men, he went at Kameron Yamaguchi. "You didn't keep your men focused and motivated Foehammer, instead you splattered me, expending half your warheads to do it, then you killed a freighter rather then capture it... you're playing a pirate in this mission... not a mercenary." he paused. "still... you know I was your greatest opponent so you expended your effort to get me."
However that said, you expended your warheads... and you got killed as a result."

"Alright... the rest of you, take ten then get back into the simulators and we'll do this again.." Fives said evenly. "Foehammer, lets go for a walk.."

Kameron Yamaguchi followed the other man in silence, he had an idea as to what this was about. "Fives, its not a big deal.?"

"Your wife comes to my door, asking to spend the night because she doesn't want to drag her family into a private matter between the two of you." Fives commented. "What did you say to her?"

"Its none of your business"

"Noted. I'm making it my business..." Fives responded with a growl. "Now out with it boy, I'm only getting older."

"I said she was being abusive to herself and to everyone around her, that she needed to slow down and stop acting like a bulldozer in a candy store." Kameron summarized the conversation for Fives who nodded and listened in silence.

"So... Let me get this right.." Fives responded when Kameron had finished. "You felt you didn't get through to her at two o'clock in the morning... when nobody does their best thinking... Did I get this right?"

"More or less yes."

"Kameron, you kicked a pregnant woman out of her bed, out of her own quarters and out of your life, all of this in the middle of the night." Fives responded. "You really fucked up here... Because she is carrying my child.. I've made it my mission to get to know her... and I think I've done alright in that regard... she relies upon you to bring the logic while she supplies the emotion... you two are stronger together then you are apart.... you're not coping well with it... I can see it in your eyes... the same rage, the indecision that you have to cover at all costs, even if that means you provoke a fight.."

"I didn't provoke a fight Fives.."

"Yes you did... you been in a constant state of enraged for the last few days... and while you're piloting performance is about the same... you've been a lot angrier and far easier to provoke.... you might want to talk to-"

"I don't wanna talk to her..."

"Kameron... stop being an asshole." Fives responded with a low growl. "I fucking mean it... go speak with your wife and get this cleaned up." as he regarded his apprentice. "She is carrying my child... that she took from her mother... and if you don't deal with this... then I will... you will not like me for it.... but I'll do it."

Kameron sighed. "Fine... I'll go see her."

"Do not test me Kameron... I will make you regret crossing me.... am I clear?" Tom Lasky was almost incandescent with rage. "If you do cross me, I will make you feel pain the likes of which you will never ever forget... Do Not fuck with me boy..."

"Yeah." Kameron's resolution wilted in the face of such rage.

"Good.." Lasky closed his eyes as he mntaly vented the hatred and the anger in one smooth motion. "Now that we got that sorted out... We're going to go back over this simulation again... and this time... try to capture the freighters rather then kill them."

"Yessir." Kameron responded, feeling somewhat subdued. He had never seen Fives get to that level of angry, ever and he was determined to not provoke him ever again