Luca sighed at Robert's , "Oh well, but we've still got enough people to keep this thing going."
Tami was getting close on the radar, now, and soon they were in orbit, ready to land.
"Okay, I'm gonna bring the bird down and-" John was cut off mid sentence by an incoming radio transmission, "Hold that thought."
"You have five seconds to explain what an independent vessel such as yourselves are doing near our Orbit during a war - or you'll be target practice." A stern female voice sounded on the other end of the line, she clearly sounded pissed off at the current predicament.
John momentarily turned off his microphone and turned to Vincent and Luca, "See what I mean? Geez..." He observed, grumbling to himself before handing the microphone to Luca, who turned the mike back on. John couldn't deal with one of them.
"Calm down, woman, we're just trying to make our possible last moments living doing so enjoying Tami's wilderness!"
"I cannot let you do that - strict rules. No escorts or independents. YSE Sanctioned vehicles only."
"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Luca's voice raised, heaving his celebrity muscle around, "Does the name Luca Pavone ring a bell?"
"Big deal," She responded flatly, probably bringing a file up on him, "So you stop one mad scientist and get a single frontpage news slot. You're just a small fry. We can handle this threat ourselves."
"Look here, Nataria has probably fallen to Mishhu by now!" His voice rose again in intensity, "They're probably marching their tentacled asses over here right now and gonna go right through you! At the end of the day, we're equal in the eyes of the Mishhu."
The woman tried to get a word in, "In all honesty, turn around now, before we-"
"
UNITED WE STAND!!" He exploded in rage at the woman's stuffiness and lack of cooperation, "
DIVIDED WE FALL!!"
"We've no time for bureaucracy or racial supremacy!!"
The woman could be heard holding a sentence of rage back at Luca, then calming down before delivering something in a tone cold enough to freeze, "Fine. You've made your point, land - but expect no sympathies from us."
"Whatever, she-bitch." Luca responded offhandedly before cutting the line with a smile, he nudged John, "Land it, quick!"
"We're already on the ground." John responded flatly.
It turned out while Luca and the woman on the other end of the line were having a shouting match, he'd bought the ship in carefully - and sent his own signals to them via text.
Code:
We are the crew of the ISC Phoenix, we're here to assist you in the possible threat of the SMX attacks. We specialise in ground control.
There is no need for payments or commissions, we are armed quite heavily by ourselves, but help from yourselves is also welcome.
By the way, forgive the captain if his temper flares up, he can be at times boisterous.
Regards, John N. Morris, Pilot, ISC Phoenix/ISC Big Bird
Luca just fell over himself realising how much he just smashed the first impression to pieces - for one woman, he hoped.
"Way to talk smooth, wanker!" Mel observed from afar.