From wpettey@zianet.com Mon Jun 22 23:01:36 1998 Date: Tue, 2 Jun 1998 09:32:01 -0600 From: wpettey To: Dante Expeditionary Force List Serve Subject: [DANTEXF]SB ALIGHIERI(NASW716): "May Angels Go Wit' Ye" [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set] [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set] [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly] DANTE Expeditionary Force Official E-mail BEGIN TRANSMISSION LOCATION: Deep Space SD: 100602.0847 MDT FMD: 05.1045 SCENE: NASW716 attack on the Dalriadan The fighters launched thei missles into the Dal fleet, struggling to get into postions where they would do the most good. Some fo their hits were right on target, destroying a couple fo the Dal ships, but most just inflicted serious damage. Cort had flinched every time he saw a ball of flame erupt when a member of the air wing went down...sdome destroyed by Dal fire, and others flying their craft in a kami-kazi mode into the hulls of the ships. The battle was desperate. The YORKTOWN had radioed that they were not prepared fo rthe fighters yet and the fighters would have to return to ALIGHIER for reloads. Cort sent the fighters back in waves, knowing that many who turned to head back to the station were opened to enemy attack. Some would die trying to retreat for reloading. Already more of NF-34 was gone, and NC-17 had lost three of her own. BATRON 21 had deployed a ruse, hoping to draw away some of the cruisers, and it seemed to be working...but for how long. Finally, the last missle fired, Cor t ordered the rest of the fighters back to the station for reloading, hoping that they wouldn't be shot down as they fled to the cover of ALIGHIERI's weapon systems. FMD: 05.1400 SCENE: NASW716 hanger bay The airwing looked terrible. The shuttles were scarred with the signs of battle. Too many had been lost over the last couple of days. Too many had lost the fight. Dirty and haggard, CDR Miller and Cort stood up in front of the assembly and tried to give a speech of hope and encouragement, but the facts remained that their was still an armda of Dal ship's fighting tooth and nail with the the YORKTOWN, BATRON 21, and the station. NC-17 and NF-34 would soon be rejoining the fight, and the outlook was grim. Lost for words, CDR Miller looked to Cort. Cort wiped a tear from his eyes and motioned to the Flight Chaplain to say a few words. The older Irishman approached, "I know tha' many o' you dinnae believe as I do, but some o' ye hav' come t' see me o'er the past few days fer comfort in these terrible times." He coughed uneasily, "But ye all know tha' ye are th' best o' th' best, an' ye've been called upon t' serve, an' protect them tha' are weaker and less fortunate than yerselves." He continued, "Ye dinnae have to do it, but ye did. And now, ye will do it again. Ye can go out there wit' yer heads held high, knowing that ye are doin' somethin' great fer all involved, an' while many willnae be returnin', ye can rest assured tha' none o' ye will be fergotten." The elderly priest looked very somber and sober. He looked each pilot in the eye, "Ye've been given the opportunity to majke a difference. Ye have the ability to really shine out there, and I believe in ye. I really do." He wiped a tear from his wrinkled face, "An' i pray tha' God give ye angels to guard ye and keep ye safe. May angels go wit' ye as ye fly." When the chaplain was finished, he sat down next to Pappy. Pappy sat still for a long time, trying to regain his composure. Finally after a few minutes, he stood and with a weak voice commanded, "All right, suit up...we're heading back out!" Respectfully submitted, Wendon Pettey wpettey@zianet.com CDR TyGarra Bright Eyes (XO USS SORANUS) http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/4846/TyGarra.htm LT Cort O'Wood, "Shamrock" (XO NAsW716 http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/4846/OWood.htm LMAJ Wes Smith, "Joker" (2O/ATL SFFR7) http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/4846/Smith.htm LTjg Londyn K. Brydges (FCO USS GRIFFON) http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/4846/Brydges.htm "Accept that somedays you are the pidgeon... and somedays you are the statue." This message sent by an official member of the Dante Expeditionary Force Are you also posting your messages to the newsgroup?!!! END TRANSMISSION