Episode 14 - Disaster in Hatte

[Wedge14]

Heyden had had enough of this Musai.

"I DIDN'T GET THIS FAR JUST TO BE SHOWN UP BY A BITCH OF ASS KISSING ZEKES!!" The Lt jg. snapped viciously his own spit flying around in his cockpit.

"DIE FOREVER KNOWING THE MOST IMPORTANT OF YOUR EXISTENCE WAS TO BE KILLED BY ME!!"

The pink nemo now directly behind the Musai class spun around and just started to relentlessly pound the Musai from the rear with a barrage from his beam rifle. The thought of his ammo count did not cross his mind.

"BURN YOU B*****DS!!!"

[Cybaster]

"---No, you do not!"

Instead of crossing directly into the path of the deadly spread as Celeste had hoped, however, Gilliarme raised his Beam Rifle and fired one shot the same moment Celeste's shell left the bazooka nozzle --- right towards where Celeste's Clay Bazooka is to destroy it and render it unusable --- and rather than continue sailing right he suddenly charged forward at Celeste's Rick Dias, and the bulk of the spread of pellets passed his Marasai's upper right side, some of them impacting and severing the broken upper armshield half from the rest of the Marasai's body.

The sudden burst of speed drew Gilliarme in close enough past that and, keeping an eye on Samantha's own Marasai at the same time, Gilliarme's next move was to bring his Marasai slightly above Celeste's Rick Dias to ease his Mobile Suit out of the Clay Bazooka's firing line, and stab his Beam Saber downwards at the Rick Dias' torso as the first strike. His Marasai's movements were now controlled, having stopped the dash and Gilliarme eyeing Celeste's own movements; he was intent on keeping her in very close range to him this time.

"Then you really don't understand anything, do you, 'Celeste'?" Gilliarme sighed back, now holding nothing but absolute disgust for Celeste Angelina and her rhetorics. "Believe it or not, the Titans were not established at first for the sole purpose of bullying and mass genociding colonists, as the AEUG likes to reiterate incessantly for public relations. They were established at first to prevent others like the Principality of Zeon from doing exactly that --- I'm sure you've seen it no matter which side you were on, Celeste? The millions dead when the Zabis gassed a colony for Operation British and then dropped what was left of it onto Australia? And what about the Delaz Fleet, and the colony they dropped onto North America to destroy millions more innocents along with the Federation's food supply?"

Gilliarme's Beam Saber hand spun the blade once rapidly in follow-through, baiting Celeste to overreach next and to keep Celeste's eye away from Samantha while she moved towards Celeste's opposite side to strike.

"They started it first, and the Titans were formed because we remember what the Zabis are capable of. It's only because of incompetent, snivelling officers among the Titans like Jamaican Daningan, that cannot see any other solution past more violence, that the Titans had lost its purpose somewhere along the line...and as you said, become the very evils we were trying to fight at first." His Marasai's monoeye glowed once, as if in silent fury. "But if you think that all Titans are like him, Celeste, then you're even more shallow than I already see you as."

[RGM-79 GM]

Shin boosts down as quickly as possible and goes under the Rick-Dias shots. He rights himself and pulls out a beamsaber and activates it. Then he boosts over to the Rick-Dias and slices at it's torso with the beamsaber while firing four vulcan rounds at it's main camera.

[Psyden]

Gil’s shot goes under the bazooka and off into space as the weapon is forced backwards due to recoil, and as he comes in for the attack, Celeste spins around to face Samantha, simultaneously drawing her saber and a bead on the interfering Marasai. Firing once, and lighting her beam saber, Celeste swings back around to parry Gil’s saber strike. Flipping the bazooka around into an underarm position, she launches another shell with as short a fuse as the safeties will allow.

“Oh, so just because the Titans were founded with honorable intent, all should be forgiven, right? I never said that the idea of the Titans was bad. No, the reality of the Titans is that they are following the footsteps of the Zabi Family! Over a million dead, millions of innocent people dead, and you DARE defend them?!? How could someone like you possibly know what it feels like to live in fear of death? That one day, someone will come and wipe you and your family, everything that you hold dear, just because you are alive?”

Opening the visor on her helmet, Celeste stares into the monitor, allowing Gil to see the burning anger in her eyes, to allow him to see that what she speaks is what she believes.

“I know that there are people, good people, who join the Titans looking to make the Earth Sphere a better place, ignorant of the true atrocities that the Titans commit without a second glance. But I am no longer of the delusion that you are one of those people. You know the dirty little secrets the Titans keep, and you still fight for them? Fight against those who would try and stop another Colony 30, another colony drop, from happening ever again? And I dared to believe that you had any kind of ‘honor’.”

The protective covering over the Rick Dias’ 55mm Phalanx slides back and the weapon roars to life, streaming fire at the head of Gil’s Marasai. And right on the heels of the shell and the Phalanx rounds she fired, is her saber coming around the outside of Gil’s in an attempt to lop off his arm. If he tries to attack, he’ll probably loose it before he can land a blow. His only recourse it so back off for now.

[Cybaster]

"I know what the Titans had done, and make no mistake about it, Celeste --- contrary to what you think, I am willing to openly admit that they were wrong, that they're repeating the Zabis' actions, and that *I* was wrong to accept them so readily at first. You can never know the trouble I went through because of it, either." Gilliarme's eyes narrowed then at a memory of that bloody nose he gave Daningan that long ago for that special purpose, after 30 Bunch, as some of his previous calm returned to him. He was likewise quite sure that Gilliarme survived doing that only because of his own family's connections to the Earth Federation then; With the differing circumstances now and Morgan looking to all but actively join the AEUG, punching Daningan again would very likely get Gilliarme executed this time.

But of course, especially now, giving Daningan what-for again would be very much worth dying for. "And that is why I'm staying with the Titans; Because I don't believe that the Titans and Earth Federation are beyond redemption yet --- as a soldier of the Federation I have to believe in that, or the Zabis will have had been right all along and they will have won even in death. At least I'm trying to reform the Titans and redeem them from within, even if I am only one man --- That's why I'm still staying here when I could've instead defected to the AEUG or Axis or some other faction looking to capitalize on the Titans' current ill reputation. So, former Zeon or former Federal, if you even did fight in the war to begin with...what're your own reasons for fighting beyond that standard AEUG doctrine you keep reciting to me?"

Having faced those vulcan phalanxes from Celeste earlier and Amuro Ray himself even earlier than that, Gilliarme was no stranger to them, and this time he was ready. Instead of following through with a second beam saber blow and blunder into the shots, Gilliarme instead sharply brought his Marasai into a backwards thrust --- the tip of Celeste's beam saber blade missing the left arm by only inches and the vulcan bursts blazing overhead, although the resultant explosion from the shell's pellet spread (which, fortunately at that close distance, exploded too late to catch Gilliarme with much of the spread) just off to the side of Gilliarme's left shoulder nicked his Marasai's side left shoulder armor --- halted his Marasai suddenly and keeping close enough to deal with the Clay Bazooka and, with his last two shots in the Beam Rifle, fired his own shots at very close proximity at Celeste's Rick Dias' bulk knowing that there was virtually no way she could effectively dodge both of the shots completely.

"And do you think you, who actually decided to take that quick and easy path instead of staying in the Federation to help reform it, can stake claim to trying to honestly make the Earth Federation better without relying on rebellion, Celeste? When I called you a dishonorable woman, I take it back:" Gilliarme otherwise sneered and, resolved to give Celeste no chance to use that Clay Bazooka at him again, moved forward again, slashing out with a diagonal downwards strike at Celeste's left shoulder, while dumping the now-emptied Beam Rifle by throwing it at her Rick Dias' eye visor with an upward toss.

"You're not even that. You're nothing more than a coward."

[Fritz Ashlyn]

- Inside The Shoal Zone -

- Team 1 -

Michiko was completely oblivious to Eddie’s comment beyond a short burst of static in her ear. She was focused on the Zomel CO’s attack, and the scant moments she had to protect herself. Her suit reached back, pulling the beam saber to block the Zeon’s downward slash. She waited until the Hizack was practically on top of her, just before their sabers would clash, before firing her pistol at point blank range.

Fritz put his pistol away and switched over to beam saber as the non-blinded Hizack rushed him. He started moving again as soon as he was satisfied the birdlime slathered suit was properly incapacitated, and circled around behind him so that he would have a blind target between him and the attacking enemy. “Speichellecker!” Fritz snarled, igniting the saber and stabbing right for the blind Hizack’s midsection.

- New Yark Team -

“Oh, what the hell?!” Mello complained through clenched teeth as he was forced to initiate another group evasive. “We’re all facing you! I’m not a narcoleptic, you jerks. Waste your ammo, see what I care...” he griped as the Kalinin team moved farther away. Ramon and Thibaut moved closer to him again after breaking up their ‘formation’ to discourage any sustained fire. “My head!” Thibaut yelped. Mello turned in his seat and got an eyeful of the kid’s damaged Nemo as it came to a rough stop. Somebody on the other side had gotten lucky, and one of the parting shots had neatly removed the Nemo’s head. “Damn it, you’re going to make me sound like a moron, Chareux! ...Now I hope none of them heard what I said,” the lieutenant groused, slightly embarrassed.

[Ascension]

Jim boosted backwards as the Marasai lunged towards him. He fired off a couple of hasty shots from his left beam pistol to distract the enemy MS while he stowed his right pistol and drew his beam saber. A few stray vulcan rounds scored minor hits on his head, but he ignored them. Not enough to do the Titan any good.

((A tip. You burst fire vulcans. They don't fire singly. Watch and learn.))

Jim fired a sustained burst from the phalanx vulcans in response, spraying in the general direction of the Marasai's rather large cranium.

((Shooting a couple of hastily fired beams and a spray of vulcan fire at Shin while drawing a saber. Chances of melee combat in the next post? 90%))

[RGM-79 GM]

(OOC: I know. When I said I fired four vulcan rounds I meant in two 2-shot bursts.)

Shin sees the enemy MS dodge his beamsaber and then point his beam pistol at Shin's Marasai. So Shin has his Marasai boost left as quickly as possible and while he is able to dodge the beams they pass incredibly close to his shield warping the metal and making it 60% weaker.

A few vulcan rounds hit his Marasai's head but cause no real damage and after a few hit he boosts around behind the Rick-Dias and puts his beamrifle on the rear waste and pulls out and activates his other beamsaber and boosts over to the Rick-Dias and slices at it's left shoulder and upper right torso. Since the Rick-Dias has a beam pistol Shin boosts to his right to try and throw off the pilot's aim if he dodges his beamsabers and shoots at Shin with the beam pistol.

(Slicing at left shoulder and upper right torso. Then boosting right incase you fire your beam pistol. Gotta think ahead of the other guy afterall.)

[mcred23]

- The Shoal Zone -
- Eckardy -

There was no response, and Eddie hadn't expected one. A Hizack charged at the friendly Rick Dias, beam saber at the ready.

He acted. He kiced his thrusters and raced to the other Rick Dias right side. He spun and found himself facing the two MS who were about to engage in melee combat, about fifty-odd meters away from him.

Eddie's brought the Rick Dias' right arm up, and the beam rifle it held. He took a scant second to line it up with the Hizack, and fired a beam at it at the same time he saw a beam flash from one of the other Rick Dias' beam pistols.

[Ascension]

Jim spun to face the Marasai as it boosted behind him. He turned just in time to intercept the 'sai's left hand saber with the saber he held in his right hand. He flinched away from the second saber, trying to twist his left shoulder out of the way of the blade while keeping his blade engaged with the 'sai's other saber. He wasn't completely successful... while the second sword didn't bite deeply, it did nick his shoulder armor. The maneuver did not shake his aim enough to prevent him from bringing his left-hand pistol to bear on the Marasai's torso and firing a beam at near-point blank range.

"You may have two swords, but I have a pistol," he growled, "and it's amazing how handy these little things can be..."

[Cardi Doorl]

OOC: I hope this RP isn't as convoluted as it seems to me. FIghtin' RPs are underway.

IC:
- Alexandria-class Kirov -
- Combat Bridge -

"Have Herakles Team operate temporarily under Hades Team's command. I want them all to move up there and support the Kirov teams. I-"

Trent's string of commands were interrupted when the bridge's entrance slid open unexpectedly, followed by Nick's voice announcing, "Commander Trent."

Nick strode up to Trent and handed him a handwritten note, along with a flippant comment about the mechanics complaining. Trent read over the note. It would be later, in retrospect, that he would wonder how he managed not to betray any outright shock over its contents.

Christ, what the hell was Nick thinking? What did he hope to accomplish? It was clear he was informing Trent beforehand so he'd have accountability should he ever return. Or if he returned, that is; was this just a ruse so that Nick could slip away to the AEUG and play double-agent? The last thing Trent needed was one of the few trustworthy-

Wait. "Trustworthy"? Trent realized he acknowledged Nick, of all people, as someone who could be trusted. He pondered at a mile a milisecond on this matter. Trent was still convinced that the Commodore - all the Ritters, in fact - weas up to something, and that he couldn't expect the man to be on his side forever. The Ritters couldn't be trusted.

Stukov? Stukov was obedient, perhaps, but only so long as Trent's views happened to parallel his. Stukov, as far as Trent could see, would slash any throat he felt belonged to an enemy, even if that throat belonged to Trent or the Commodore or Admiral Jamitov or whomever. Stukov was obedient, but not truly loyal, at least not to Trent specifically. He couldn't be trusted.

Gilliarme Lasalle? Trent was undecided on this man. He sometimes had the feeling that, were he to sit down and talk with the man one-to-one, they would probably find they had a good deal of common ground. Even still, though, Trent suspected that Gilliarme would never trust Taskforce Echo's de facto commander. If Gilliarme couldn't trust Trent, then how could Trent trust Gilliarme?

So Nick, then. Why, then, did Trent feel that Nick, of all people, could be trusted? Why did this volatile, pill-dependent, scheming bastard strike Trent as somebody who was on his side? Even now, with Nick having given him this message that could very well be little more than a double-fake so as to get a free pass to backstab the Titans, Trent's strongest feeling was that he was losing the last ally he had left.

Perhaps this didn't have to be a loss...

"In the middle of a battle?" he grumbled aloud, "Our mechanics sent one of our suit team leaders up to the bridge to complain about this? In the middle of a battle?" He turned to the Commodore. "Commodore," he intoned, "I need to set a matter straight."

The Commodore's eyes narrowed slightly, and Trent knew then that the older man suspected something was amiss. Fine. The Commodore wasn't playing on the same team, as far as Trent could see. "I will assume command, then, Commander."

Praying that he wasn't about to make an enormous mistake, Trent nodded to the Commodore, then gestured for Nick to follow him out the bridge.

- Mobile Suit Bay -

While the mechanics rapidly worked over Picard's Hizack along with that tiger-striped one that came in moments ago, Picard guzzled down a bulb of water. Something occurred to him.

"Is that numbskull Miller still out there with just a beam saber?" he groused aloud to nobody, "That moron needs a proper weapon if he wants to be useful." M-Hover immediately clambered into his Hizack's cockpit and flipped through frequencies.

"Hades Team, you hear me? It's Lt. Kamek. Ens. Miller, land on the Kirov ASAP. We're fitting you with a beam rifle."

Without ado, Picard sprang out from the cockpit and grabbed the first mechanic he saw, then barked, "Hey! I'm Lt. Kamek from Hades Team. One of the Hizacks from my command will be landing here in a sec. Marasais and Hizacks use the same beam rifles, so I want you boys to fish out one of the spares and give it to him."

Hizacks can't support both a beam rifle and beam saber, so Miller would have to leave his saber behind. That was fine by M-Hover; the oaf would more useful with a rifle and no melee weapon than the other way around.

The mechanic, however, had different concerns. "Hand over a rifle to a team from another ship?" he growled, "Can you even imagine the kind of paperwork you'd need to fill out for something like that? You could be here for hours filling that sh*t out."

"Don't worry about paperwork," shrugged Picard, "Survivors from the Hades are heading this way. They're towing a wrecked Hizack that has my XO in it. He can take care of the paperwork when he gets here."

"Fine," sighed the mechanic, "I'll see if we can pry the rifle off Ltjg. Diotrephes' Marasai. He ain't using that thing anytime soon."

[ORegan]

Miller sat there staring at his monitor. If there was an enemy who dared to attack the ship, he'd be sure to get to them first.

"Hades Team, you hear me? It's Lt. Kamek. Ens. Miller, land on the Kirov ASAP. We're fitting you with a beam rifle."


A Beam rifle? Miller was overjoyed. While in training, he was never allowed to touch beam rifles in simulations. The instructors wouldn't trust a weapon of such caliber to a oaf like him.

Patrick punched into the commlines. "Uhh, Understood sir. Coming in for docking."

putting away the beam saber, Miller made his way for the ships hanger. It took him a few circles around the ship to find it, not being too familair with an Alexandria class ship. He eventually found his way in, and docked his Zack. He opened up the cockpit hatch to stretch his legs a bit while the mechanics did their job.

[Cardi Doorl]

OOC:This would've gone up several hours ago were it not for my internet connection deciding it'd be pretty cool to just, you know, stop working for a few hours.

IC:
- Alpha Team -

Stukov weaved to the right ("downward", from Wes' point of view) as the Rick Dias retorted with the beam rifle. He tracked with the beam rifle the entire time, then let off a shot just as he changed direction back to his initial heading.

-

Since Leandro had to fire from his strange position, compiled with his distance, he already presented a small target to the enemy. Nevertheless, the one targeting him had a certain natural talent for sharpshooting. Although Leandro kicked his thrusters to further himself from the mass of fighting in hopes of evasion, Jack's shots nevertheless slice off the Hizack Custom's left foot.

With a grunt, Leandro continued sliding on his back (so to speak) as he swung his beam launcher around and fired again at Jack.

- Beta Team -

Wolf twisted his torso at a bizarre angle in time to present an oblique angle of his shoulder shield to Jacob's two beams, allowing them to be deflected away without forcing Wolf to change direction too drastically. Wolf lit the beam saber as he neared his target, then had to slash suddenly as he spied a sudden movement.

A brief flash, and it was gone. Wolf realized after the fact that, despite how it had appeared in the moment, the sudden movement was not Jacob's Rick Dias moving in to attack up close, but was indeed a thrown object. By the way it blazed out of existence after being cut by a beam blade, it was evidently some kind of discarded beam weapon.

"Getting desp-" started Wolf, but he was cut off when he became distinctly aware of a blindside attack. Clute's attack forced Wolf into an awkward twisting roll to allow the beams to slide by, albeit uncomfortably close. The third beam didn't score a clean hit on the beam launcher due to Wolf's maneuver, but it did graze the top of the middle of the barrel, warping it ever so slightly. By the time the vulcan rounds came in, they were only hitting shoulder armor, which was now present where the beam launcher had been moments before.

Opening fire on me when your teammate is so close by? spat Wolf mentally as he closed in on Jacob yet again, Let's see you try that when your friend's at melee range with me. He renewed his assault on the rookie with a horizontal slash, sweeping outward from right to left.

-

[Alexandra depending on Jack's actions]

- Delta Team -

Celeste was thoroughly occupied with Gilliarme, allowing for an opportunity Sam wasn't about to let slip. While those two fought it out, Sam had taken a wide circle around Celeste to get her from the back. Now, she'd heard rumors about the AEUG's high-performance models being able to shoot beams out the back, so she made sure to be ready in case this one happened to have that ability.

Once behind, Sam jetted forward, but the Rick Dias did something unexpected: it actually spun around, fired off a shell from its bazooka, then continued the turn so as to resume fighting Gilliarme. Sam detached her forearm shield and swung her left arm so as to send the shield soaring foreward. The shield slammed into the bazooka shell just before it would have broken off into scattershot, resulting in a messy blast of ruined metal. Not wasting time or changing direction, Sam flew right through the cloud of small debris, aimed at the Rick Dias, and fired twice from her beam rifle.

[Gambit01]

Nick nodded and followed his Trent, pausing only to give Ritter a sloppy salute that was, in a way, far more insulting than it would have been to outright ignore him. He followed the Commander, ready to stop whenever he was.

"Sir?" was all he asked when they were alone.

[RGM-79 GM]

Shin is glad he had his Marasai start boosting right, right after he sliced since the Rick-Dias pilot does indeed fire his beam pistol at him. So the beam passes inbetween the left elbow and left part of the waist, but closer to the waist. It leaves a black line on the arm and the left part of the waist is hit by part of the beam slightly damaging the left leg and taking off most of the armor for the left part of the waist.

Then Shin boosts back over to the Rick-Dias and slices with the beamsaber in his Marasai's right hand at the Rick-Dias' left arm and slices at the Rick-Dias's right arm with the other. He plans on using the to distract the Rick-Dias pilot and fires a short burst from his vulcan cannons at the Rick-Dias's main camera. Then he boosts down to try and throw off the pilot's aim.

[King Monkey]

For a moment, Jacob thinks that yet another enemy unit is attacking him when the beams come in from a new side and he knows for sure that he's dead. Bad enough that he's trying to hold off an ace alone, but to have the ace have a partner is surely the end of him. He has yet to realize that he's already been attacked by a second mobile suit, the mystery of his missing right arm one he'll probably never solve.

But, when the beams don't come as near him as they should, he spares a glance to the side to see who fired them. "Lieutenant!" he practically shouts. "Thanks! It's good to see you again."

Quickly, he turns his attention back at his incoming attacker. His impromptu thrown weapon served its purpose, that was one slash that could have destroyed him that's been wasted. But, he would be helpless if the threw his other pistol and he doubted if the man would fall for it twice.

Besides, the next attack is already coming. Jacob has no desire to get into, or stay in close combat with this ace. For all he knows, the enemy pilot is the Titans equivalent of Celeste Angelina: a melee monster. He boosts back as fast as he can, pushing the verniers on the front of his suit to their limits. At the last moment he twists his torso to jerk it back an extra few feet. Even so, the beam comes uncomfortably close and it is only the lack of warning klaxons that convinces him that he wasn't hit.

Jacob punches his main thrusters before the other pilot can make a second attack, boosting up as fast as his machine will go. He can only squeeze off a single, hasty shot down as the Marasai slides away.

[Cardi Doorl]

- Musai Kai-class Randarmel -
- Combat Bridge -

"Engine crews are no longer responding, sir!"

"Fires are spreading! Fire control teams are being overwhelmed!"

"Coolant leaks reported! Medical teams are down!"

"We're still taking hits!"

"We're at high risk of a reactor breach!"

"Engines have taken critical damage!"

The Randarmel's skipper, now bug-eyed and drenched in sweat, remained half-standing from his command seat, his hands in a death grip on the armrests as the lights in the bridge flickered on and off. The design flaws of the Musai-class, even in this upgraded version, were rearing their ugly head.

"Go faster!" he blustered impotently, "Keep recalling our mobile suits! We can't just sit-"

But he would never utter the rest of the sentence, as the Randarmel proceeded to break into pieces below him. It was when the hull split to expose the combat bridge to open space that the skipper regretted not wearing a normal suit.

- Zomel Team -

The blinded Hizack's backup camera came to life just in time for cockpit alarms to blare wildly. The poor bastard didn't have time to comprehend what the alarms were telling him before the cockpit was filled with a beam saber's blade.

The other Hizack turned, trying to track the blue Dias as it circled around, but in the blink of an eye the rebel unit had plowed a beam saber through the other Hizack. "*sshole!" he shouted as he moved closer to get around his late teammate's mobile suit for a clear shot at Fritz.

The team's CO, meanwhile, felt his entire machine shudder as his beam saber slammed into Michiko's. He immediately pulled away in hopes of getting some breathing space for a renewed attack, but Michiko's beam pistol shot burned through his Hizack's midsection, jut above the cockpit. He never got much a chance to react, as Eddie's beam rifle shot ripped through the upper torso nearly simultaneously. The reactor breached, and thus the entire torso blossomed into an explosion.

[Goose]

Fighting on two fronts is not something a sniper wants to do. Snipers take on targets one by one.

Jack's been trying to generalise in his AEUG function, but old habits die hard. So focused is he on Leandro that he almost forgets about Alexandra, which is why, as he boosts away from Leandro's shot and turns towards Alexandra, her beam rifle's shot passes by his head, and hits his torso at the right angle to burn against the Gundarium Gamma armor without killing him, but leaving a VERY impressive furrow in his chest armor; the resulting particle impact throws his aim off, sending him into a spin that he encourages, twisting and turning madly; the vulcan shells hammer into his Rick Dias, and by sheer bad luck, end up where the beam damaged his torso, sparking into the armor and weakening it further.

Jack quickly recovers from his deliberate, seemingly chaotic spin, and pulls out a beam pistol, very much annoyed with Alexandra. First things first.

Jack fires a single beam rifle shot in Leandro's direction, spinning and twisting to place Alexandrabetween himself and Leandro's approximate location; once that is done, he opens up, with a beam rifle shot and three beam pistol shots.

He wants to settle the score with the Titans sniper, but it looks like he'll have to swat this annoying fly first before he can do anything.

* * * * *

CLute smiles grimly as Jacob boosts away from Wolf, narrowly missing a beam saber strike, and boosts up and above, so that he's firing down at Wolf. He judges Jacob's likely retreat path, and fires a pair of beams at Wolf's direction, hoping the beams will drive down into the Marasai when it's not looking up. At the same time, he lets off another burst of vulcan fire, hoping to hit the beam launcher.

As he boosts up and above, a pair of beams come perilously close to him, and one shears off part of his right ankle. Clute quickly corrects the loss of balance, and curses; he wanted to go two on one, but now it's a two on two...

[Ascension]

As the Marasai attempted to engage him in melee combat again, Jim quickly fired his right hand birdlime launcher at its moneye and boosted backwards. The 'sai's sabers barely missed him. His cockpit shook again as vulcan fire rattled the Dias's head. He responded with his own vulcans. Finally he squeezed off another beam pistol shot in the general direction of the 'sai. His left hand pistol was beginning to run low on energy. He knew he would have to switch pistols soon.

[Cardi Doorl]

- Alexandria-class Kirov -
- Corridor -

Trent turned around. Not so much to face Nick as to ensure nobody else was within earshot; Lt. Tariq Sayed's whereabouts, for example, were unknown to Trent.

When Trent felt it was safe to speak, he leaned in close to the red-eyed lieutenant and, below his breath, hissed, "What the hell do you think you'll accomplish by doing this, Nick?"

* * *

- Chuikov Team -

"Is it over already?" came Caroline voice through the crackle of Minovsky jamming.

"Looks like it," mused Jonas, "I'm not about to complain, either." He then addressed all of Chuikov Team and barked, "Chuikov Team! Assume defensive positions around the New Yark until further orders!"