An X3AP DID Story.
Caitlin Doyle:
Prologue:
Master Guns Caitlin Doyle. AKA Katherin Reynolds (In the commonwealth at least,) Is the Alpha Marine Squad leader aboard the Missile boat the Temperence currently in the sector Lasting Vengeance. The ship she has served on for the last five years of her now second Tour:
It’s been a Jazura since the war kicked of bigtime that was the bad news. Now it’s just got a whole lot worse her previous skipper had died in a traffic accident whilst on shore leave.
Their replacement Captain Ryker has never handled a missile boat before, and it shows with every order that comes out of his stupid mouth. First, I had to remind him to move to within eight clicks of the Zeus we were aiming for and to keep the shields down below three percent before passing within two clicks for our boarding run.
I even explained to him in detail how just pissed of my team would be if he failed to carry out any of the detailed instruction’s I had just rammed down his throat:
So, leaving him turning purple with rage on his bridge, I made my way to the drop bay to join my team. “Hey skip. Did you realise you left your com link on when you were upstairs?” Jako asked grinning like a fool. I just gave him my best smile and nodded. “Ladies mount up." I ordered as I began climbing into my own rig.
After a lot of faffing about on the captain’s part, we eventually boarded the Zeus. One hellacious scrap later the remainder of the crew bailed. And the ship was ours with only one guy wounded.
One slight hitch, whilst were busy doing what we do best, The Temperance had jumped for home leaving us stuck here with a couple of Nemesis corvettes heading our way. I was pretty sure they weren’t coming over just for a friendly chat.
The Adventures of Master Guns Caitlin Doyle
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Sinead
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The Adventures of Master Guns Caitlin Doyle
Last edited by Sinead on Sun, 15. Feb 26, 10:55, edited 2 times in total.
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Sinead
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Re: Caitlin Doyle
Sector 148 Military outpost:
Operation’s Com tech first class Eddy Silarn’
“Sir, I have an incoming message from the Temperance requesting priority permission to dock at the shipyard for repair.”
Lieutenant Danson looked at Temperance on the status monitor and ordered the ship scanned. “Send Permission denied Eddy” alerting the operations chief of the unusual request. “Order them to dock here A.S.A.P. And Get me Major Friennes on a secure line.”
Eddy put the link through to the chief’s office, then looked back at the incoming scan report, seeing at once why the ops chief was righteously pissed. There were no marines listed on the Temperance. Someone had royally fracked up.
A few days later the chief was called down to an intelligence briefing room on station. The station commander was there already as were one of the spooks and his operations boss.
“Okay Toni what have you got for us?”
Toni Friennes, the head spook on station activated a display. “This is what we initially recovered from Temperance’s logs. Unfortunately, as you can see there are discrepancies.
There is a gap of ten Sezura prior to the mission and another longer gap after the team had successfully boarded the target. I have my best people working to restore the missing data from the ships log files.”
Their station commander had been around the block a few times for Jazura and knew or guessed what had been left unsaid.
“What did Ryker have to say about these discrepancies Toni?” The commander asked.
The chief knew the only person who had authorisation to access to a ship’s log was the captain.
“Dismay and confusion, he was lying his ass of off course denying any knowledge.”
The chief looked at Friennes and by the grin on his face just knew he had other news.
“We received this file from a member of the ships crew. It’s a recording of all messages received for both missing periods.
Friennes plugged the thumb drive into another display, they listened attentively as they discovered exactly what had happened. The last voice they heard came from Kate on the target ship. “The ship is ours we need our recovery team over here now.”
“The next orders recorded were Captain Ryker’s ordering the ship to jump here.” Friennes concluded.
“I want those data files restored to the ships logs Friennes no need to name a crew member as having helped us. Make them seem a little glitchy. Now, you’re still ginning Friennes so what else have you got for us.”
Friennes handed each of them a copy of report from one of his people.
No name or signal id were attached “Boss, that Bitch you told me to look out for, well she showed up here bold as brass in her own dammed transport and dumped a bunch of guys off here on the trading station. They’re military hard asses boss. I’d bet my life on it even if they are dressed in civies. Let me know what you want to happen 513 out.”
Operation’s Com tech first class Eddy Silarn’
“Sir, I have an incoming message from the Temperance requesting priority permission to dock at the shipyard for repair.”
Lieutenant Danson looked at Temperance on the status monitor and ordered the ship scanned. “Send Permission denied Eddy” alerting the operations chief of the unusual request. “Order them to dock here A.S.A.P. And Get me Major Friennes on a secure line.”
Eddy put the link through to the chief’s office, then looked back at the incoming scan report, seeing at once why the ops chief was righteously pissed. There were no marines listed on the Temperance. Someone had royally fracked up.
A few days later the chief was called down to an intelligence briefing room on station. The station commander was there already as were one of the spooks and his operations boss.
“Okay Toni what have you got for us?”
Toni Friennes, the head spook on station activated a display. “This is what we initially recovered from Temperance’s logs. Unfortunately, as you can see there are discrepancies.
There is a gap of ten Sezura prior to the mission and another longer gap after the team had successfully boarded the target. I have my best people working to restore the missing data from the ships log files.”
Their station commander had been around the block a few times for Jazura and knew or guessed what had been left unsaid.
“What did Ryker have to say about these discrepancies Toni?” The commander asked.
The chief knew the only person who had authorisation to access to a ship’s log was the captain.
“Dismay and confusion, he was lying his ass of off course denying any knowledge.”
The chief looked at Friennes and by the grin on his face just knew he had other news.
“We received this file from a member of the ships crew. It’s a recording of all messages received for both missing periods.
Friennes plugged the thumb drive into another display, they listened attentively as they discovered exactly what had happened. The last voice they heard came from Kate on the target ship. “The ship is ours we need our recovery team over here now.”
“The next orders recorded were Captain Ryker’s ordering the ship to jump here.” Friennes concluded.
“I want those data files restored to the ships logs Friennes no need to name a crew member as having helped us. Make them seem a little glitchy. Now, you’re still ginning Friennes so what else have you got for us.”
Friennes handed each of them a copy of report from one of his people.
No name or signal id were attached “Boss, that Bitch you told me to look out for, well she showed up here bold as brass in her own dammed transport and dumped a bunch of guys off here on the trading station. They’re military hard asses boss. I’d bet my life on it even if they are dressed in civies. Let me know what you want to happen 513 out.”
Last edited by Sinead on Sun, 15. Feb 26, 09:45, edited 2 times in total.
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Sinead
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Re: Caitlin Doyle
The Zeus Lasting Vengeance:
Current S.N.A.F.U. Still in progress.
(Please note, since the war kicked of the Marine Corp now use standard Terran date and times. To better synchronise missions in the war zones.)
Okay, back to the story:
I still had the Zeus plodding along at a miserable 54mps to the gate that was still a way off from our current position. That’s if I could trust the glitzy duplex scanner we’d managed to bring online. I couldn’t see either of the two military corvettes, but I was damned sure they would be hitting us sooner rather than later.
Time to come up with a new plan, I guess.
I had Lupi take over the helm for a bit whilst I rummaged through the previous Captains quarters to see if there was anything we could eat other than Soya husks of course.
I had better luck in his stewards cabin next door. I grabbed an arm full of executive MRE packs some Chelts stakes for Lupi and a couple of bottles of wine.
Seems the steward had a liking for Split foodstuffs, yeah whatever frakkin weirdo Paranid.
I grabbed a tray, heated the MRE’s and handed them out to the team before opening a couple of bottles of fire wine.
“Okay what’s the sitrep”
Jako finished swallowing the bit of Chelt steak he was chewing on before answering.
“We found two 200 mega shields in the hold and they are installing themselves. Add to that we found a crate of Hammer heads and we’re going to load them into the two tube racks we got working.”
What’s with the drives this ship should be going a lot faster than she is?”
“Yeah, and it would have been had someone not launched a barrage of flails at us before jumping out. Hull damage is a little below 75%.”
Well, that was a kick in the teeth we didn’t need. “Okay then, first we have to get through that gate after that I should be able to get us some help.” They all gave me the side eye at that which I ignored for the moment. Once we’ managed to get to Heaven’s assertion I’ll layout our options. Lupi I’ll take over for now; you grab some of those raw stakes you like so much.”
“Yess Boss. She practically ran over to the busted console I was using as a buffet table and started chomping down.
Current S.N.A.F.U. Still in progress.
(Please note, since the war kicked of the Marine Corp now use standard Terran date and times. To better synchronise missions in the war zones.)
Okay, back to the story:
I still had the Zeus plodding along at a miserable 54mps to the gate that was still a way off from our current position. That’s if I could trust the glitzy duplex scanner we’d managed to bring online. I couldn’t see either of the two military corvettes, but I was damned sure they would be hitting us sooner rather than later.
Time to come up with a new plan, I guess.
I had Lupi take over the helm for a bit whilst I rummaged through the previous Captains quarters to see if there was anything we could eat other than Soya husks of course.
I had better luck in his stewards cabin next door. I grabbed an arm full of executive MRE packs some Chelts stakes for Lupi and a couple of bottles of wine.
Seems the steward had a liking for Split foodstuffs, yeah whatever frakkin weirdo Paranid.
I grabbed a tray, heated the MRE’s and handed them out to the team before opening a couple of bottles of fire wine.
“Okay what’s the sitrep”
Jako finished swallowing the bit of Chelt steak he was chewing on before answering.
“We found two 200 mega shields in the hold and they are installing themselves. Add to that we found a crate of Hammer heads and we’re going to load them into the two tube racks we got working.”
What’s with the drives this ship should be going a lot faster than she is?”
“Yeah, and it would have been had someone not launched a barrage of flails at us before jumping out. Hull damage is a little below 75%.”
Well, that was a kick in the teeth we didn’t need. “Okay then, first we have to get through that gate after that I should be able to get us some help.” They all gave me the side eye at that which I ignored for the moment. Once we’ managed to get to Heaven’s assertion I’ll layout our options. Lupi I’ll take over for now; you grab some of those raw stakes you like so much.”
“Yess Boss. She practically ran over to the busted console I was using as a buffet table and started chomping down.
Last edited by Sinead on Sun, 15. Feb 26, 09:51, edited 1 time in total.
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Sinead
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Re: Caitlin Doyle
Sorry DP.
Last edited by Sinead on Sun, 15. Feb 26, 10:08, edited 3 times in total.
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Sinead
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Caitlin Doyle
Slater had bought a couple of missile tubes online and loaded their racks so at least we had some teeth if we had to fight.
“Skip, looks like we’ve got one of those corvettes making a firing run at us.” Roy called out.
"Slater new plan you and Uma get to the missile stores and load twenty or so of those hammers onto a cargo handler, strap a load of charges and remote detonators to them and get ready to jettison it". I looked at the display and noted the sod was approaching us a bit cautiously, when I saw the rate our shields were installing, I knew we had the bastu.
“He can’t read our shield type yet Roy, he just knows we have some. Let him get well in range of the hammers Slaters going to drop's blast radius, then we'll give him have a barrage or two down his throat.
Having set that up, I went aft to get myself a cup of tea
I found Jako with both his feet up on a table obviously waiting for me in what passed for a break room. He must have sloped off the bridge whilst I'd been briefing Slater.
"So what's the plan Kate?" he asked as if he had any right to even ask, or even to use my given name the vets in the team did.
I filled a mug and added plenty of honey to hide the bitter after taste and to prevent myself from gutting him where he sat. He'd been full of himself since before we undocked back at the outpost, as if he knew something I didn't and acting like he was entitled to question me whenever he felt like it.
Another solid clue he was someone I no longer wanted on my team. I don't know what the hell the F.N.I. aka the spooks back at base had told or promised him, probably Friennes himself, but I could no longer trust him.
“The plan will be revealed when or if we get through the gate Jako. You need to reconsider your disrespectful attitude. I told you when you signed on you with us you could only have one boss and that would be me. Think about that Jako."
That last comment finally took the stupid grin of his face. I guess it was those sort of little things that always managed to cheer me up.
I took my tea back to the command chair on the bridge and started counting down the minutes then the seconds till it was time to make our play.
“Okay Slater time to shine throw, that loader out of the lock then get your ass back up here. In fact, everyone get your asses up here. Ray when that Nemesis is within the blast radius of the loader Slatter and Uma just dropped fire a single hammer at it, then a barrage at the Nemesis”.
As the rest of the team arrived, I sealed off every deck and warned the team to expect the other Corvette to come at us hard and fast as soon as the first one was taken out.
One massive explosion later Ray spotted the second ship coming straight at us, exactly as I’d predicted.
“Roy, do your magic with the numbers I want that bastu’s speed reduced enough so he can’t catch us before we reach the gate, if you can manage it keep a few Hammers back just in case.”
“I’m on it Boss.”
“One other thing," I turned to glare at Jako who had slipped back onto the bridge "I want the com link Friennes or one of his minions gave you before we left the base right now.” He opened his yap but lucky for him didn't push it and headed aft.
Lupi stepped up close to me and asked the question the rest of the team were probably all asking themselves as Jako headed aft. her voice barely a whisper. “Problem’s boss?” Indicating the hatch Jako had used as he exited the bridge
Too be honest I wasn’t sure myself. I’d given Jako a lot of chances since he'd signed on less than a Jazura ago, if he made the wrong choice now; well so be it.
“We’ll know shortly Lupi.” I replied keeping an eye on the approaching Corvette whose speed was dropping rapidly as its turbo Boost shut down to recharge. Roy was already launching our missiles. If this worked the way I hoped, we would all have a chance to make it out of here.
Well; it happens, sometimes the dice just roll the wrong way. That Corvette had taken a battering but still had a chance to catch us before we left the sector.
“Skip, looks like we’ve got one of those corvettes making a firing run at us.” Roy called out.
"Slater new plan you and Uma get to the missile stores and load twenty or so of those hammers onto a cargo handler, strap a load of charges and remote detonators to them and get ready to jettison it". I looked at the display and noted the sod was approaching us a bit cautiously, when I saw the rate our shields were installing, I knew we had the bastu.
“He can’t read our shield type yet Roy, he just knows we have some. Let him get well in range of the hammers Slaters going to drop's blast radius, then we'll give him have a barrage or two down his throat.
Having set that up, I went aft to get myself a cup of tea
I found Jako with both his feet up on a table obviously waiting for me in what passed for a break room. He must have sloped off the bridge whilst I'd been briefing Slater.
"So what's the plan Kate?" he asked as if he had any right to even ask, or even to use my given name the vets in the team did.
I filled a mug and added plenty of honey to hide the bitter after taste and to prevent myself from gutting him where he sat. He'd been full of himself since before we undocked back at the outpost, as if he knew something I didn't and acting like he was entitled to question me whenever he felt like it.
Another solid clue he was someone I no longer wanted on my team. I don't know what the hell the F.N.I. aka the spooks back at base had told or promised him, probably Friennes himself, but I could no longer trust him.
“The plan will be revealed when or if we get through the gate Jako. You need to reconsider your disrespectful attitude. I told you when you signed on you with us you could only have one boss and that would be me. Think about that Jako."
That last comment finally took the stupid grin of his face. I guess it was those sort of little things that always managed to cheer me up.
I took my tea back to the command chair on the bridge and started counting down the minutes then the seconds till it was time to make our play.
“Okay Slater time to shine throw, that loader out of the lock then get your ass back up here. In fact, everyone get your asses up here. Ray when that Nemesis is within the blast radius of the loader Slatter and Uma just dropped fire a single hammer at it, then a barrage at the Nemesis”.
As the rest of the team arrived, I sealed off every deck and warned the team to expect the other Corvette to come at us hard and fast as soon as the first one was taken out.
One massive explosion later Ray spotted the second ship coming straight at us, exactly as I’d predicted.
“Roy, do your magic with the numbers I want that bastu’s speed reduced enough so he can’t catch us before we reach the gate, if you can manage it keep a few Hammers back just in case.”
“I’m on it Boss.”
“One other thing," I turned to glare at Jako who had slipped back onto the bridge "I want the com link Friennes or one of his minions gave you before we left the base right now.” He opened his yap but lucky for him didn't push it and headed aft.
Lupi stepped up close to me and asked the question the rest of the team were probably all asking themselves as Jako headed aft. her voice barely a whisper. “Problem’s boss?” Indicating the hatch Jako had used as he exited the bridge
Too be honest I wasn’t sure myself. I’d given Jako a lot of chances since he'd signed on less than a Jazura ago, if he made the wrong choice now; well so be it.
“We’ll know shortly Lupi.” I replied keeping an eye on the approaching Corvette whose speed was dropping rapidly as its turbo Boost shut down to recharge. Roy was already launching our missiles. If this worked the way I hoped, we would all have a chance to make it out of here.
Well; it happens, sometimes the dice just roll the wrong way. That Corvette had taken a battering but still had a chance to catch us before we left the sector.
Last edited by Sinead on Thu, 14. May 26, 11:09, edited 1 time in total.
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Sinead
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Re: The Adventures of Master Guns Caitlin Doyle
Well, that was disappointing. That corvette had taken some hull damage but even I could tell he might be able to reach us before we hit the gate. Lupi interrupted my chain of thought by putting a vid com link up on my monitor.
I almost busted out laughing aloud when I recognised Red’s voice despite the rebreather she was wearing. “Hey sis, looks like you’ve got yourself in a bit of a bind here. What did you do to rile up the captain of yonder corvette?”
“Hey; he got grabby and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Yeah, well you shouldn’t be stealing one of the duke’s carriers now should you. I’ll take care of the dip stick then I’ll be dropping by for a chat. Make sure the hanger on that banged up piece of junk you’re flying is clear.”
“Where did she come from?” Uma asked, “I didn’t see a jump flash.”
“She probably tucked in behind the gate after we headed south; she always was a sneaky bitch.” I replied.
“Change of plan people, Roy make your way to the hanger deck to escort her up when she lands; clear all the traps we set on your way between here and there while you’re at it. Be cool, she tends to be twitchy all the time and is easily annoyed.” I warned him.
“Perhaps you should send Jako to greet our guests” Lupi suggested with an evil grin showing all her teeth.
Yep, she was obviously just as pissed with Jako as I was.
We sat back and watched as Red stripped away that corvettes guns and shields and then boarded it and threw the crew off the ship.
As always when Red struck, she was both swift and brutally effective in her execution.
“What type of ship is that?” Uma asked as she got a better look at it on its way back.
“That hiss an M6 a Hyperion Vanguard Uma, very rare.” Lupi answered.
The bitch, a thought I kept to myself. She just had to go and get one for herself. No wonder she’d looked so smug when she’d com’d me earlier.
It didn’t get any better when she undocked a damned Tenjin from it and parked it in the hanger. For some reason the Yaki had taken a dislike to me of late, considering the amount of business I’d done with them in the past it was becoming annoying especially whenever they spotted me these days declaring themselves as hostile.
Red arrived as she always did, loud and proud. She looked well pleased with herself as she strode onto the bridge, gave me a hug then turned to Lupi lifting her off her feet and giving her a twirl.
“Puttss me down” demanded Lupi her crest going a deep rosy hue as she swatted at Red.
I noticed she kept her claws sheathed though.
“So, Sis looks like you got yourself in a right pickle here haven’t you; let’s talk.”
Lupi led the three of us to the room I’d been using and Cho her Split minder closed the door behind us no doubt to take a guard position out in the corridor.
“So Red here you are, saving the day in style as usual. That leads me to ask about your timely arrival.”
“No biggie sis, Rhonkar wants a chat, sooner rather than later.”
“That’s doable but it’ll take me a few days to arrange things. I’m on a sort of a limited time issue here.”
Red’s face lost that best smile look, she looked me in the eye before responding.
“No Sis, Rhonkar wants to talk now, not next week or sometime this month. We owe him, you know that.”
Yeah, I did he’d sheltered us after mom disappeared. I know the Argon claimed she’d died
but I wasn’t buying their bull.
“Okay Red but I’ve to get this ship to Patriarch’s shipyard as far as the fleet’s concerned, we’re MIA.”
“Well since I snagged that Nemesis here, I’ll be going with. Don’t worry Cait I’ll get a transport to meet us in heavens and take your guys to the trading station to have some fun whilst we go have a discussion with the man himself. You coming Lupi?”
Damn she was doing it to me again, involving Lupi was a pretty low trick though. I knew she’d wanted to visit her family for a while; I just hadn’t had the time to arrange it.
Lupi was grinning and nodding her head up and down so rapidly she was in danger of straining her neck. Well… at least one of us would be happy.
I almost busted out laughing aloud when I recognised Red’s voice despite the rebreather she was wearing. “Hey sis, looks like you’ve got yourself in a bit of a bind here. What did you do to rile up the captain of yonder corvette?”
“Hey; he got grabby and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Yeah, well you shouldn’t be stealing one of the duke’s carriers now should you. I’ll take care of the dip stick then I’ll be dropping by for a chat. Make sure the hanger on that banged up piece of junk you’re flying is clear.”
“Where did she come from?” Uma asked, “I didn’t see a jump flash.”
“She probably tucked in behind the gate after we headed south; she always was a sneaky bitch.” I replied.
“Change of plan people, Roy make your way to the hanger deck to escort her up when she lands; clear all the traps we set on your way between here and there while you’re at it. Be cool, she tends to be twitchy all the time and is easily annoyed.” I warned him.
“Perhaps you should send Jako to greet our guests” Lupi suggested with an evil grin showing all her teeth.
Yep, she was obviously just as pissed with Jako as I was.
We sat back and watched as Red stripped away that corvettes guns and shields and then boarded it and threw the crew off the ship.
As always when Red struck, she was both swift and brutally effective in her execution.
“What type of ship is that?” Uma asked as she got a better look at it on its way back.
“That hiss an M6 a Hyperion Vanguard Uma, very rare.” Lupi answered.
The bitch, a thought I kept to myself. She just had to go and get one for herself. No wonder she’d looked so smug when she’d com’d me earlier.
It didn’t get any better when she undocked a damned Tenjin from it and parked it in the hanger. For some reason the Yaki had taken a dislike to me of late, considering the amount of business I’d done with them in the past it was becoming annoying especially whenever they spotted me these days declaring themselves as hostile.
Red arrived as she always did, loud and proud. She looked well pleased with herself as she strode onto the bridge, gave me a hug then turned to Lupi lifting her off her feet and giving her a twirl.
“Puttss me down” demanded Lupi her crest going a deep rosy hue as she swatted at Red.
I noticed she kept her claws sheathed though.
“So, Sis looks like you got yourself in a right pickle here haven’t you; let’s talk.”
Lupi led the three of us to the room I’d been using and Cho her Split minder closed the door behind us no doubt to take a guard position out in the corridor.
“So Red here you are, saving the day in style as usual. That leads me to ask about your timely arrival.”
“No biggie sis, Rhonkar wants a chat, sooner rather than later.”
“That’s doable but it’ll take me a few days to arrange things. I’m on a sort of a limited time issue here.”
Red’s face lost that best smile look, she looked me in the eye before responding.
“No Sis, Rhonkar wants to talk now, not next week or sometime this month. We owe him, you know that.”
Yeah, I did he’d sheltered us after mom disappeared. I know the Argon claimed she’d died
but I wasn’t buying their bull.
“Okay Red but I’ve to get this ship to Patriarch’s shipyard as far as the fleet’s concerned, we’re MIA.”
“Well since I snagged that Nemesis here, I’ll be going with. Don’t worry Cait I’ll get a transport to meet us in heavens and take your guys to the trading station to have some fun whilst we go have a discussion with the man himself. You coming Lupi?”
Damn she was doing it to me again, involving Lupi was a pretty low trick though. I knew she’d wanted to visit her family for a while; I just hadn’t had the time to arrange it.
Lupi was grinning and nodding her head up and down so rapidly she was in danger of straining her neck. Well… at least one of us would be happy.