Play@YSDC

Z-Day + 1 - 7:06 AM Mountain Time - Warren Air Force Base, west of Cheyenne, Wyoming
At the landing pad-
The Humvee pulled to a stop at the edge of the landing pad where the Huey UH-1N Iroquois helicopter stood ready for takeoff, not far from a hangar. Seated in the cockpit were the pilot, Captain Johnson, and the co-pilot, 2nd Lieutenant Rebecca Doolittle. There were two more members of the flight crew manning the chopper's twin machine guns. The helicopter was configured as a transport with room for nine people, and seven of them were already seated inside. Major Nelson Harris led the small force, which also included Technical Sergeant Jessica Valdez, Staff Sergeant Larry Dauterive, Airman Marcus Winters, Airman Kevin Osbourne, Airman Catherine Rourke, and Airman Gary SImpson. All of them were wearing body armor and helmets and were kitted out with plenty of gear.

Two Security Forces troopers got out of the Hummer and opened the rear doors. Out stepped Katarina Iiliescu and Julie St. James, both dressed in camoflage trousers and white tank tops. "Here we are, ladies," said one of the SFs. He motioned to an open footlocker resting nearby. "There's equipment for both of you in there. Take what you need and then board the chopper. It leaves in less than ten minutes." The footlocker contained two small suits of Kevlar body armor and matching helmets, just the right size to fit both women. It also held four hand grenades, two 9mm pistols with several magazines, two combat knives, and Julie's bow and arrows.

Zoe Gallagher emerged from the vehicle last, dressed similarly. The SF pointed at the hangar. "You'll report there, ma'am," he said. "They're waiting for you."

Zoe nodded, then hugged Katarina and Julie. "Be careful," she said, choking up.

Katarina tried not to cry, hugging her back as tightly as she could. Now she was about to lose everyone and everything ... all on a gamble that her friend was still alive. A gamble she had to make.

Kevin Nods towards the three hugging women "and that, kids, is what we call a You-are-gonna-die sendoff. I am truley impressed by the faith in this mission and we who are just about to carry it out. it just so touching"

Katarina bursts into laughter, the tension abruptly broken, which also causes the unshed tears to roll down her cheeks. She turns toward Kevin, blushing fiercely, and nods a little in agreement. "I sorry! I just ... it's been..." The laughter dies down suddenly and she sighs, gazing up at Kevin with cute, puppy dog eyes and an expression of pure hope. "We be okay?"

Kevin Smiles, and almost blushes himself, then says to Katrina "Its A couple of wounded Nutjobs against us?, so they got their cute little nicknames! we got the skills, we got the Load-out, and we got the numbers. I will bring everyone home in one piece. otherwise, I got guilt issues. and there's nothing like issues to throw off a Man's Aim, and you know I cant afford that!"

Katarina giggles a little at that and, spontaneously, throws her arms around his neck, before pulling back, sniffling a little and a little surprised at herself. It's the first time she's touched a man freely in so long, or even wanted to, that it almost starts her crying again. There's nothing sexual or romantic in the hug ... she's nowhere near that level of ready yet, but it feels good to have some small level of trust in a man again. She'd thought the last of that has shriveled up and died back with the Skinheads. Her thoughts go back to the people they left behind on the other side of that trapdoor ... were they zombies now? No, she couldn't think about that. "Anyone have tissue?" she asks hopefully, not wanting to abuse her sleeve just yet.

Kevin, suprised by the hug, grins at Katrina "goshh......here you go, Katrina" he takes a white cloth out a compartment in his backpack that he had put there to clean his gun with and hands it to Katrina

Katrina blows her nose on it very messily and then blinks up at him with a friendly smile that broadens into a big grin that takes up half her face. Boy, she hadn't smiled like that in forever! "Okay, I'm ready to go!" she says, bopping a little with the statement.

OOC,Actually, [b]Katarina[/b] doesn't even have a sleeve- she's wearing a tank top. The Kevlar vests are sleeveless too, but you haven't taken yours yet.

At the landing pad-
"Not yet, you're not," said Julie, laughing too in spite of herself. "You've forgotten to take your equipment, Katarina." While Katarina had been talking to Kevin and Zoe had headed off to the hangar, Julie had collected her bow, quiver, a pistol, a knife, two grenades, a vest, a helmet, and seven 9mm magazines from the footlocker. She waved at Kevin. "Hi," she said. "I'm Julie St. James."

Kevin and the other members of Strike Force Alpha could see that Katarina was an astonishingly beautiful young woman, the most gorgeous they had ever seen. She was petite, with long red hair, and looked to be in her late teens. Julie was in her early thirties, with flowing dark hair. She was beautiful too, but not as beautiful as Katarina. Then again, who was?

"Ladies," said the major in command, nodding. "I'm Major Nelson Harris. Welcome to Strike Force Alpha. We'll be lifting off in less than ten minutes, so gather your gear and get aboard when you're ready. There will be plenty of time for introductions."

Airman Catherine Rourke grinned at Katarina. The tough woman also had red hair, though her looks were merely average. "We'll take good care of you, kiddo," she said.

Katarina grinned around at them all and then went to fetch her things, her hair bouncing behind her. "Got tie?" she asks, pointing to her hair. "Or maybe snip it? No want zombie grab it."

At the landing pad-
Katarina collected the gear that had been left for her in the footlocker on the landing pad. She took a Kevlar vest with an attached utility belt, a Kevlar helmet, a 9mm pistol (which, while not loaded, had seven magazines with it), a combat knife, and a pair of hand grenades. Once she had gathered all of it, she boarded the helicopter.

In the helicopter-
Julie had finished putting on her vest and helmet by the time Katarina climbed aboard.

"Oh, you shouldn't cut your hair off," said Catherine to Katarina. "It's so beautiful! I wish I had hair like yours. Here." She fished a scrunchy out of her pocket and handed it to her. "My name's Catherine, by the way."

"Welcome aboard, ladies," said Major Harris. He indicated three of the people sitting on one side of the chopper. "These are Technical Sergeant Jessica Valdez, Airman Marcus Winters, and Airman Kevin Osbourne. They make up Fire Team 1. Ms. St. James, you'll be assigned to them." He pointed out the three on the other side. "And these are Staff Sergeant Larry Dauterive, Airman Catherine Rourke, and Airman Gary Simpson. They're Fire Team 2. Ms. Iliescu, you'll be with them."

Katarina nods to all of them and puts her hair up with the scrunchie before wriggling into the vest and helmet.

In the helicopter-
Katarina finished putting on her armor.

"We lift off in five minutes," said Major Nelson Harris. "Everyone strap yourself in. We'll use this time to get acquainted. Once we're in the air and en route, I'll give a full briefing and take questions."

"Here, sit next to me," said Catherine to Katarina, patting the empty seat beside her. "I'll help you get strapped in. Want to tell me about yourself?"

Katarina holps up next to Catherine. "What to say? I don't know. What about you? Where you from? What your life like?" She doesn't really want to discuss her past for fear of the horrors that mined her memories.

In the helicopter-
"Life for me is one big adventure," said Catherine with a huge grin. "That's why I joined the Air Force, and it sure delivered on everything it promised. I come from Boston, but my ancestors are from Ireland. That's where I get the red hair and freckles. I just love Irish folk dancing, too. I'll have to teach it to you some time."

OOC,[b]Katarina[/b], you may roll Psychology.

The significance of her words are loston Katarina. "I hope I can learn. I like dance." She looks morose for a moment, the likelihood of her return heavy on her mind. "I sure we be fine."

In the helicopter-
"That's the spirit!" said Catherine, putting a friendly hand on Katarina's shoulder. "I'm sure you can learn folk dancing just fine. I'm just an amateur - you wouldn't see me on Dancing with the Stars or anything - but I'll teach you as best I can."

Katarina nods and smiles, cocking her head to one side and pondering if Catherine is hitting on her. Nyet, surely not... "That be fun." She tries to imagine herself coming back victorious. She succeeds only by thinking herself injured with a broken bone.

It's testament to how the past day (and her past few years) have been that it actually cheers her up.

At least it's an image of her coming back.

In the helicopter-
"Everyone strapped in?" asked the pilot, turning his head back. "We'll be taking off in a couple of minutes." He turned to Lt. Rebecca Doolittle, the co-pilot. "Have you completed your preflight checks?"

"Yes, sir," she said. "Everything's five by five."

Checking hsi rifle one last time Kevin says "lets do this"