His Majesty's Dragons: The Battle of Britain

[Charon]

Jake glanced up from his plate to smile at Judith, before the door openned and another man walked in, from the looks of him, and the accent, another damn American. "And people say that America isn't involved yet? Are we sure? Half this fuckin' squadron is from across the Atlantic!"

"Shush now," Judith said with a sly smile. "We're s'posed ta be yer secret weapons."

Jake grabbed a piece of what he was pretty sure was some kinda steak and chewed it thoroughly and swallowed before winking at Judith. "Nothin' secret 'bout you hon, you'd attract eyes from across the channel."

Then the new American stood and saluted, giving the CO the full out. "Damn, no offense dear, but they grow their dragon captains weird in America..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kunja snorted derisively. "I don't think he was refering to Australia and America so much as the dirty bastard was talking about us 'trouble breeds'." The smaller dragon spat on the ground. He had definately not taken the comment well.

When the other two stepped forward Kunja stayed where he was. "I've got a year in this war, and plenty of military trainin' from home. For what it's worth."

[Cynical Cat]

Frostfell dropped down near Lydia. "Speaking of big dragons," he said, "you might be inclined to take a Kampfritter head to head." He turned his head as he saw Reynolds coming from the area of the mess hall. "Hi boss."

Nathan walked towards his dragon. "Amberback. The big boys of the American Southwest. Thank Christ we aren't the only heavies in this squadron." He walked up to Frostfell and rubbed the dragon's jaw. "And how are you, you beautiful bastard?"

"Harder," said Frostfell. "The boys?"

"Crew's eating. You been behaving?"

"No."

"That's the lizard I know and love. Try to save it for the Boche."

"If you insist."

Nathan patted the dragon's snout. "I do. I'll be out later to check on you." He turned around and Frostfell gently nudged him in the back.

"You take care of yourself boss," the dragon said softly.

"I will." The dragon watched his captain walk away.

Almost inaudibly the dragon whispered, "please."

----------------------------------------------

Frostfell's crew, sans captain, walked into the mess hall and began to line up for chow.

[LadyTevar]

Jake grabbed a piece of what he was pretty sure was some kinda steak and chewed it thoroughly and swallowed before winking at Judith. "Nothin' secret 'bout you hon, you'd attract eyes from across the channel."

Judith blushed a little, taking a bite of the liver to cover and think of something to say. After clearing her mouth (never talk with your mouth full!), she replied shyly. "Ah'm thinkin' yer jis' a mite of a flirt, Captain."

Then the new American stood and saluted, giving the CO the full out. "Damn, no offense dear, but they grow their dragon captains weird in America..."

Judith had looked over to the man, and and was suitably impressed. "He's military, from th' look o' 'em. Saw many o' them in my so-called trainin' afore bein' shipped here."

[Charon]

Jake grinned as he pointed his fork at himself, mocking confusion. "Me? a flirt? Never my dear. I am a good and honorable Australian knight upon my shining, well, gray, dragon. I would never take to flirting with another Captain, no matter how beautiful." Jake winked at her again and then got to the next part after gulping down some water. "Be that as it may, I haven't seen that many sir's strung together since an unfortunate accident with the laundry that resulted in no less than 5 superior officers having their uniforms sewn together." Jake shrugged innocently.

Jake was almost a personification of the difference between the Dragon Corps and other military outfits, and even occasionally pushed the limit of the Dragon Corps, part of the reason he had been put here, with other outsiders.

[LadyTevar]

It's a good thing Judith had neither drank or taken another bite of her food at that moment, as Jake's comments about officers laundry had her burst into sudden laughter. She had a nice laugh, if loud enough to turn heads before she covered her mouth to contain herself.

"Ah'm sure as you had nothin' ta do with that," she said with a smile when she was able to speak again.

[Agent Fisher]

Jack plopped down at the table, a mug of hot tea in his hand, sitting near the Australian and the country girl. The British officer took a drink, then looked at the two as she laughed. "So, what's so funny, love?" He asked with a smile.

[LadyTevar]

Still smiling she looked to Jack, nodding to Jake with her head. "He's a catbird, he is. Iffen the prankin' starts, look ta him."

[Charon]

Jake simply smiled. "I can assure you, upon my honor, that I had nothing to do with the sewing of the uniforms." That, of course, meant that he'd likely taken care of nearly everything else. "Mostly though, I'd watch Jack, he's a real trouble maker." The Aussie grinned, before offering a nod to the British officer.

[LadyTevar]

"Which Jack?" she asked, "This one, or yer dragon?"

[Agent Fisher]

Jack looked at Jake. "I'm not a trouble maker!" He says with a smile. "Though I'm sure the other kids I grew up with at Northolt would disagree." he said.

[Charon]

Jake blinked once or twice, looking over at the other that was apparently a Jack. "Blimey, no not you. I'm talkin' of Kunja. The Victorian."

[Agent Fisher]

The British Captain shrugged. "What can I say? My real name is Jonathan, but I didn't want to have the same name as my father." He said, taking another drink of his tea. He looked to Judith. "So, how are you enjoying England?"

[LadyTevar]

"Guessin' we'll hav'ta give one o' ya'll a nickname ta tell ya'll 'part," Judith teased both men with a smile. "Or shoul' Ah tell ya'll m' paw's name was also Jack." She took a sip of her coffee, milky-white. "Wha' Ah've seen o' it, England's a right nice place. Mighty flat, tho."

[Cynical Cat]

Frostfell's crew were clustered around a table, joking among themselves. Captain Reynolds came in and stood in the chow line.

[Charon]

Jake laughed. "Three Jack's? Lord... Well my dragon prefers to be called Kunja, some aboriginie called him that once and he stuck with it." Jack then looked at the Englishmen. "No offense, but I'm gonna be callin' you John or somethin', at least while we're up in the air, I sometimes call my dragon Jack, so we shouldn't be gettin' you two mixed up in a fight."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Well, can you actually hear eachother in combat at all without radios? I mean, I can talk to Waldwanderer, but unless you are talking on a radio I cant imagine the sound from your voice would carry far"

[Agent Fisher]

Jack frowned, but there was nothing he could do. "Fine." He said. The British captain finished his tea. He looked at Judith. "Well, it might be a bit flat." He agreed.

[Charon]

Jake looked up at Richard. "Often times, in the heat of the moment you can forget that your radio is on. So it's best to side with caution."

[Cynical Cat]

Nathan's tray was filled with the most dubious of substances, British military caffeteria food. He nodded to his crew where they sat eating and left the mess hall.

[LadyTevar]

Jack frowned, but there was nothing he could do. "Fine." He said. The British captain finished his tea. He looked at Judith. "Well, it might be a bit flat." He agreed.

"John tain't a bad name," Judith said to encourage him. "Woul' ya rather Ah be thinkin' o' me paw when talkin' ta ya?" There was always a way to make a man see things in a positive light.

She turned her head to look to Richard, still not sure what to make of him now. "Back in trainin', they had a rig th' dragons carried n' their belly-harness. Handsfree radio, they call't it."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Richard chuckled "I find it funny that a hands free radio would be something rigged into a dragon's belly harness. One might expect something hands free to be small. Still, one should be careful with those. never know who may be listening"

[LadyTevar]

Richard chuckled "I find it funny that a hands free radio would be something rigged into a dragon's belly harness. One might expect something hands free to be small. Still, one should be careful with those. never know who may be listening"

"Sorry... din' splain it right. The radio batt'ry an' such is n' th' belly. There's a wire runnin' up th' harness tha' ya plugged inta, an' ta talk, all ya'll'd hav'ta do is press a button on yer jacket."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Richard chuckled "I find it funny that a hands free radio would be something rigged into a dragon's belly harness. One might expect something hands free to be small. Still, one should be careful with those. never know who may be listening"

"Sorry... din' splain it right. The radio batt'ry an' such is n' th' belly. There's a wire runnin' up th' harness tha' ya plugged inta, an' ta talk, all ya'll'd hav'ta do is press a button on yer jacket."

"Oh, well if it is just that... damn, and here I was hoping there was some monstrous contraption. Still want to be carefull who is listening though..."

[SirNitram]

Blackthorne and Philedelphia were very quiet as they sat and ate. It would be curious to all but those who knew the Malachite Reaper that they were the whole crew of a Middleweight. Still, Blackthorne was studying the other Captains around them, most notably the Americans.

Well. One American.

It was the one with red hair, okay? But he's definitely studying.

[LadyTevar]

"Ah'm sure as they've though' o' that," Judith said, her shoulders itchy.
Nothing like the feeling that someone is staring at you. Judith tried to be casual about it, leaning back with her cup of coffee as she took a look around the room.

Yep.. a few of Frostfell's crew were suddenly nudging each other and smirking her way. Judith hid her smile behind her mug at their antics, secretly pleased by the attention. Back home her sister Janet got all the boys to walk her home from revival. None of the boys were brave enough to face Jebediah. Who needs shotguns when you've a dragon protecting your honor? Judith let her eyes finish wandering the mess hall. Nathan, Frostfell's captain, had walked out with his meal. Absently she wondered if it was because of his scars, or if he just wanted to eat near his dragon.

Then her eyes met Blackthorne's. Unlike Frostfell's crew, he didn't over-react, nudging his partner and smirking. In fact, Blackthorne simply gave her a slight smile and a flirty wink. She sat back upright in a hurry, coughing and choking on her coffee.