FM/GN Lace and GN Brie/Condor-2/IW/EH

"Zeta Squadron ATTENTION, Admiral on deck," declared the EH's Training Officer, VA Yoni. " I have asked FA Renegade, the COM of the IW, to speak to you today about Honor and Glory and what it means in combat."

"Admiral Renegade has fought many battles and campaigns, so whatever he says take to heart. It may help you out when the lasers and missiles start flying at you. You have the podium Admiral."

"Thank you VA, AT EASE pilots, be seated please." said the FA. "First of all I would like to congratulate all of you for making it into the EH. Learn all you can here. It may save your life someday."

I know that some of you are veterans of the regular Imperial Navy, and some are just getting started on your Naval careers. Whatever the case, all of you are in a very elite position here in the EH. Not all get to qualify for service in the Fleet. You are the chosen few who have the potential to become the best pilots in the Empire.

I see here that most of you have put down that your reason for joining the Fleet is Honor and Glory. You there Son, what do you consider Glory to be."

KILLING THE ENEMY ,SIR!!!!!".

"You there, what is your definition of Honor."

"To get all the medals that I can to display."

" Killing and medals. I hope you men live long enough to do that. I know that some of you have flown combat before. Sepan sector, Parmel, some of you were with Harkov before he went Rogue and Zaarin, some of you fought for him and then against him.

"War is so impersonable, You can kill your enemy from 2.5 klicks away and you fly on and destroy a CON, then get a big fat juice slow Y-wing in your sights and so you cut lose with lasers, and boom, he is space dust, Y-wings are good for target practice. "

"Then you get real cocky and a big fat juicy slow MC-80 Cruiser pops in and you decide to attack. Just make sure you are looking at your sensors, you guys start shooting at my beloved Despot. I will personally bite big chunks out of your young hides, then I will turn you over to my Squadrons."

"The FC thinks he own her but he doesn't --I DO. Don't shoot up my house."

" Now you checked your sensors and see that it isn't my ship. You ARE a hot-shot pilot so you charge in unassisted. 'WHO NEEDS A WINGMAN---RIGHT!!! "

"That is the DUMBEST damn move I have ever seen. And, I have seen Pilots do it a number of times. Usually we gave most of them the LAST RITES. I will once again I will bite big chunks out......Always order your wingmen to attack with you. It helps split the enemy fire among all the attacking ships, thus giving all of you a better survival rate."

"I want to tell you a story about a Veteran Warrior, He was about 38 years old and had already fought in 2 major wars for his Planetary defense Force."

"He belonged too a very large and powerful Navy who had never lost a War."

"Every one of the men and himself in this Mighty Navy took an oath to defend their Red, White, and Blue banner and it's Ideas to the death if need be."

"He wasn't a pilot then, but a Crew Chief on a rotary-winged atmospheric craft. His job was to go in with his ship and rescue pilots who were downed in combat. He had his pilot and co-pilot and a young 18 year old crewman with him."

"They got a call that an aircraft was down and the pilot had ejected and needed pick-up. He was right in the middle of "Indian Country" and there were plenty of "Indians" in the area looking for him.

This Crew Chief, I will call him LS for short, heard over the intercom that he was with in 6 Klicks of him , then bad news, the enemy's version of an AT-AT had also spotted the pilot and were coming to get him."

"Instead of calling for reinforcements, as they were only one ship and armed only with a couple of 60mm machine guns, they decided among themselves that they had to try to get the downed pilot before the "bad" guys did."

" They had done plenty of rescues before and they were highly trained for this kind of work. But only LS had ever been under enemy fire before."

"They got right over the pilot and LS jumped out to help the injured pilot into LS's ship. The other crewman was firing at the enemy and the enemy started firing back. LS got the pilot in, and the ship took off and the enemy found the range. "

"The ship's pilot was shot up, LS's crewman got shot up and died, the Co-pilot was shot in the arm. LS couldn't remember if he had gotten shot either, because he was to busy helping the injured pilot they had rescued, and then he ended up with part of his crewmans body on him."

"LS's ship then crashed, LS and the injured pilot survived, the others perished. LS spent months in a coma, and then he woke up and wished he had died."

" He had internal injuries, many broken bones, partial blindness, and although he could FEEL his feet, they were GONE--amputated. He spent many months in a nightmarish Hell of pain, had 21 surgeries and more painful months of Rehab."

" He was retired from his Defense Forces on Medical Disability. Since he loved flying he joined the Imperial Navy in spite of his dis-ABLITIES he became an Imperial Naval Pilot "

"I know LS, And I have felt his pain, and his anguish. He and I have become very very close since his accident. So that is why, You never attack alone---"

"See, LS and the crewmembers on his ship that day had to much PRIDE to call for help. They were Elite, they were tough and couldn't be beaten.

"No they weren't so tough after all, and they lost all of their pride."

"Now that I have thoroughly bored you or made you grossed-out or both, I apologize, but I wanted to make a point. Did LS get any honor of it? No not much. He got a couple of medals for it."

" He threw them into a drawer in his home and very seldom takes them out to look at them. The memory is to painful. They are just pretty colored pieces of cloth and metal."

" Less experienced pilots will go Ohh and Ahh, and wish they had the same to display. Then they usually walk off thinking that You are incredibly brave or really stupid. (the definition of a Hero)"

"Honor and Glory comes from the soul and the heart, not a bunch of colors on your chest. Everybody has it, sometimes you just need to bring it out into the open. It will manifest itself in many ways.

"Mercy to your enemies, honesty in your dealing with others. Kindness and forgiveness creates honor, and glory can be how you feel about it afterward. Obeying the orders of your superior officers and teaching and leading by example instead of cohesion will bring you much honor and glory."

"Never give a Junior officer or Tech. an order that you would not do yourself. If they have questions or problems, then do your best to help them or guide them to where they can get help. We are all in this Fleet together, and only by standing together and helping each other out, can we stay a Fleet.

" Aten-HUT, Adm. Yoni, I return Your Command to you Sir."

" Thank You Adm. Renegade for speaking to us today, we really needed to hear what you had to say, sometimes even we "Old" veterans need to here that also."

"DISMISSED"

"Adm. Renegade, Sir. But, whatever happened to LS, what is he doing now, where is he?" asked a young enthusiastic recruit.

"He is a Fleet Admiral and a COM in our Fleet, you may even be in his command someday."

"ZETA SQUADRON--ATTENTION FOR FA RENEGADE !!!, shouted the recruit as FA "Pappy" Renegade left the room on his personal grav-repulser, the pantcuffs of his uniform dangling empty. GN Lace and Brie/IW