Chief Ellis squeezed his shoulders and tried to work the kink out. It was an irritating persistant knot that wouldn't go away. He shouldnt be surprised, he had been at the controls of the Talon Class Medical transport SAGANAMI TWO FIVE for over seven and a half standard hours. The cockpit, let alone the ship wasnt exactly designed for comfort. It was designed rather for the extraction and short transport of the seriously wounded in this boondoggle of a war with the Alliance. It could also perform near orbit short haul Search and Rescue with provisioning and the addition of pre packed auxiliary fuel pods if needed. It's saving grace as Chief Ellis saw it was that although it was a purely utilitarian design with none of the clean sleek looks commonly found in the BUSHIDO or even FIREFLY transport classes it had character. And right now 'NAMI was being a real bitch.

He was headed back towards the southern end of Serenity Valley. It was difficult flying down in the weeds at speed like this, but it was the differance between survival and becoming a statistic for the unarmed transport. You would think the damn high command would get around to arming the Medical Transports for at least self defense against the goram Alliance air defense batteries. Even massed small arms could swat one from the sky. Seems like the weps always went to the shiney fighter squadrons who paraded around in thier jackets laden with patches and stories of daring do in near atmo.

But Ellis didnt really work himself up too much, because when you get right down to it, he couldn't remember the last time he had to buy his own drink during down time. It was a matter of personal pride whenever a a tired looking brown coat, usually sitting by himself or with others just like him would come up and ask "You fly MEDEVAC?" a simple "Yes" would usually be followed by a heartfelt "Thanks" followed by a handshake and a drink. For although the war and its stratagies may be beyond the ability for a simple pilot like Ellis to grasp (according to Command) he knew that his purpose was simple...to get his transport to a some slice of hell and chaos and save a life.

A simple mission,never changing, unable to be perverted,compromised or done by half measures. It was clear cut in the often confusing senseless day to day existance in this verse and the war that seems to have gone on forever.

That little kink was situated a little better now and Ellis felt ready for his final approach to LZ ORION. It would be tough compared to the other approaches he flew that long day. Night had finally fallen and the sky was crystal clear over the arid mountainous terrain. Air defense would have no problem tracking in conditions like this.

The computer suddenly dumped the flight plan causing a brief sigh from Ellis. It wasnt the first time it had crapped out while in the middle of a busy day. The AIW 128 was notorious for its tantrums. It usually meant that Ellis would now have to begin manually entering requests for evacuation, location and best routes.Additionally he would have to now prioritize the order of his pickups. The screen however did something it normally didn't do- it flashed twice and then a recall appeared on his screen. Ellis new the goram piece of Blue Sun crap had really packed it in-he KNEW there was still wounded left at ORION. His irritation turned to rage when over the comm he heard the order for recall repeated.

"Control NAMI TWO FIVE I still have wounded awaiting pickup at ORION over".

"NEGATIVE TWO FIVE, You are directed to return station for immediate shutdown over".

" Control TWO FIVE, say again your last over".

" NAMI TWO FIVE, you are now ordered to return station, shut down and stand by your transport". A brief pause and then Ellis heard the words "We are laying down arms Chief, orders from Command".

Zhou Ma! The words came with an absolute fury and rage. All the death and maiming was it all for nothing? Was the Command abandoning its own people left in Serenity Valley?

"NAMI TWO FIVE, NAMI TWO FIVE this is LZ ORION over". "TWO FIVE, TWO FIVE this is ORION, ORION over".

Time seemed to strectch into infinity. It was so clear. The bumps and rattles of equipment as the transport hit airpockets in the valleys. The hopeful anguish of that voice from ORION as it broke squelch on the radio..... and that damn knot again.

Mac the Flight Medic and Vasily the Crew chief in the back had to have heard that last transmission, it came over the guard frequency clear as a bell thought Ellis. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out to relax just as his Mom had taught him a lifetime ago in his childhood, Ellis keyed the intercom.

"OK guys, you heard the man. ORION has wounded and we have been ordered to return and lay down arms. Lets hear your thoughts."

" Chief, I'm in it for the flight pay-we dont fly we dont get paid lets keep flying!" replied Mac. " I agree", said Vasily, " I go where NAMI go".

A smile crept across Ellis' lips, those two chuckleheads were masters at simplifying the difficult. Maybe thats why they had got along so well as a crew and been together so long. Like a family.

"Allright then" said Ellis, "Commence pre insertation checklist, anticipate 1 serious and 5 ambulatory wounded. LZ is hot. Keep your scan going inbound. As soon as we are ready to lift Vasily give me an up and we will depart to the southwest. Any one gets hit we do not leave until he is onboard. Report checklist complete".

"Medic is GO" "Crewchief is GO"

"Pilot is GO, turning inbound"

" LZ ORION this is NAMI 25 inbound your location ETA approximatly 2 mikes. Stand by for strobe over".

"NAMI this is ORION" an uncharechteristic pause over the radio and then the tired female voice returned aged beyond measure and lifetimes. "We got the word to lay down arms... thanks for trying, still kind of hot here. ORION hereby cancels MEDEVAC request over".

" Sorry ORION, NAMI TWO FIVE is inbound....never quite figured out how to turn this old bucket of bolts around before, guess thats why I ain't in fighters! My crew and I are not about to try and learn how now. Request your wounded on the strobe and all the suppressive fire you could provide, NAMI TWO FIVE out".

Most people fly sedatly throughout the verse with little thought to its dangers. Since man first discovered flight back on earth that was, the physical sensation of flying.. its speed.... the sound... vibration, even the feeling in the body as it gets heavy from manuevering cannot be accurately described. It is the advances in technology that provide compensators, flight assist and engineering programs that allow a pilot to literally punch a single button and fly. However, it is a gifted small group of people throughout the verse that can really fly. The movement of thier hands and feet on the controls, their ability to assimilate the multitude of sensory input and data from sensors as well as react with split second timing to the myriad of environmental factors make them truly special. And when they fly, really FLY it is beautiful to behold.

Chief David Ellis was gifted. For the next two and half minutes he did not fly the NAMI rather he was the NAMI. One could only imagine standing on one of the stark brown sandstone ledges below as the TALON Transport suddenly appeared at full throttle roaring into the ravine. Its movements fluid and smooth as flowing water. The sudden feeling of a windstorm buffeting you as it passes by with seemingly meters to spare followed by the blast of heat from the Cassandra drive system and the roar of ripping linen that seems to penetrate into your very soul.

The final ridgeline was ahead silouhetted by the flashes of exploding ordance on the other side. Although he had been in to this LZ before today, Ellis was not prepared for the view as he crested the ridge and flared in to the LZ. Alliance assault transports were descending by the hundreds off into the horizon. Planetary bombardment was still being conducted on strategic locations by heavy cruisers in near atmo. The passage of the heavy ordanance looked like slow moving shooting stars of death lighting up the night sky.

The NAMI grounded on her reinforced belly and a small group of six left the strobe and sprinted to the transport dragging a seventh. Ellis caught a brief snapshot of an orderly forward tactical base camp reduced to smoking flaming ruins when Vasily yelled "UP!" into the intercom.

Ellis pivoted the NAMI and accelarated. This is the moment when he felt fear. Waiting for the " tink tink" of impacting small arms fire, or the blood curdling scream of the missle launch/acquired indicator. A man could truly age a lifetime in this brief moment. It was worse of course for the wounded, now they were passengers, their fate in Ellis' hands not yet sure if they had survived or not.

Ellis punched chaff as he cleared the ridgeline to offset any missles and dove for the deck.

" I got one serious and two priority back hear Chief" said Mac after conducting an initial survey of their exhausted passangers.

"ROGER Mac, I'll call it in" replied Ellis.

A few minutes later, Ellis felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking behind he saw a worn, spent soldier who had obviously been to a place that will probably haunt her for the rest of her life. She extended her hand and said...

"Zoe, Balls and Bayonets Brigade....Thanks.

As Ellis shook her hand and saw the gratitude in her eyes he suddenly realized that the damn knot had finally gone away.