Chanda was soon back in the hanger, cleaning herself off with the towel. "Dear dreams...we lost so many just from trying to stop the warheads." She said to herself more then anyone else, slowly walking her way to the showers, feeling the need for a nice hot one after all that. Tossing the towel into one of the nearest receptacles, she eyed the 1st squadron, hoping most of them got back alright as she made her way out of the hanger.

Zus' Raevr was obviously superior to the slow, damaged enemy frame, and her particle and laser blasts made their presence known, doing their job keeping the enemy confined, and lancing it in the upper torso, tearing an arm off. But the enemy frame didn't stop attacking, another volley of minimissiles making their way towards the Raevr, which was busy switching to humanoid mode at the time.

The VANDR took a few hits that were not intercepted by her LEMB lasers, which ate away at her shields, but it was futile, as the Vanguard frame crashed VT-Driver first into the NVR frame, tearing it to pieces and ejecting the pilot into space along with a glob of Prajna and some link cables. A quick MASC jump brought Zus out of harm's way as the enemy frame's reactor went critical.

The Eyr Ranr used a few NEn caps to bring her unit back to full power, before realizing that the battle was over. Satisfied that the wing had done its job, Zus made her way towards the Astarte, and called for Mu'tasim over the comms. "How have you held up this battle, Mu'tasim?" she asked, flying to meet up with his Erla VANDR II.

REVERSE! Isha Ragnar's NI practically shouted as the warheads were unleashed. The Field Physician didn't really need the urging, but it certainly seemed to speed up her reaction time to the incident. A double-jump with her MASC drive put her well and safe from dirty bombs, and she exhaled a sigh of relief. Her arsenal was added in the effort to stop the missiles short of their target, and when all was clear, she gave another relieved sigh. We've done well, she thought to her NI. You ought to have a name, it's the least I could do for your help. Do you?

No.

Field Physician Ragnar was mentally smiling as she landed the Erla VANDR II in the bay. What about Nubia?

It sounds fair.

Then rest well, Nubia. And with that, Ragnar disconnected. Once more, she was herself and drying off. She liked to sit for a few minutes and simply relax with a towel.

It was more on instinct than conscious decision that Nenetl followed Mu'Tasim's orders, turning her weapons on the Soono. Just like it was more on instinct than conscious decision that she started laughing, first softly then at a full fever pitch, as the battle raged on to its collision.

That she might have died didn't bother Nenetl at all right now. She was practically shrieking in laughter, mentally of course, over the usual channels. The assistance from Mu'Tasim and Akjit may well have saved her life, it was all kind of a blur to Nenetl right now. All she knew was that Bahram Wing was victorious, and her NI was bothering her about something in its shrill manner, and she was bubbling over the top like a roman candle.

Zeltzin, there- The NI began, but Nenetl cut it off.

'Quiet, Gander!'

Thus was Nenetl's VANDR named.

Oh, and a battle won. There was that as well. Probably... time to return to the Astarte, right?

Famasir looked down at one of it's missing legs, and then back up to Zus' Raevr. The VANDR shrugged.

"I think I did rather well." Mu'Tasim's voice returned warmly to the woman. He surveyed the battlefield, observing the clean-up operations being carried out, but with First Squadron's duties completed, and it's enemies destroyed, it was time to return to base. Famasir pointed towards the Astarte.

"First Squadron, you heard command, clean-up and return to the Astarte for debriefing." ordered Mu'Tasim beginning to fly towards the ship before stopping and looking back at Zus' VANDR. He held out his hand and beckoned her follow personally.

"How about you? From what I could see, you performed very well in combat." the Temple Guard commented, returning to the Hangar bay, where he would land and eventually get a nice, fresh breath of recycled air.

Malik shrugged as his wingmates streamed back into the Astarte's hangar, one hand holding onto a railing, the other holding study a bottle of water. Malik was sipping the liquid of life from the bottle through a twisty straw, somewhat bored, but the Cohronl runner still had a smile of satisfaction on his face.

For him, it was like a funeral procession. Nightmare was perhaps the last EVII to move to the hanger; a small ball like object was cupped in it's hands. It moved towards the Astarte and seemed to be stooped over the escape pod much like a child would when carying a dead pet in it's hands. Akjit stared at the leaking, slightly charred sphere for what felt like a eternity; the entire journey back was silent, with not a word from his NI, or even anyone else for that matter. Just. Utter. Silence.

Eventually, the EVII landed and moved to it's little spot in the hanger. Akjit had to say something. The silence was unbearable! "You muted it, didn't you?" He asked.

'More or less. I wanted this moment to stay with you for years to come, and on occasion corrode you. This, is very important.'

The young Ivouri, no longer as young as he thought he was, cued his communications channel. "This is Vayshirin Chirimar. I am in possession of a damaged enemy escape pod and am requesting guards and emergency medical technicians." He disengaged from the VANDR II somewhat, and instinctively reclined. Akjit could still see the escape pod he laid at the EVII's feet since he was still half in, but could at least move.

"It's not like in the movies at all." he thought. He wasn't shedding tears or particularly eaten up by this. Disturbed, yes, but not like those people he grew up watching. Not at all. Right now, he just felt drained. Completely tired. He didn't know what to think right now. In fact, he didn't know what to think. Akjit wanted to curl up and sleep even, but he knew he couldn't. Not now. And maybe, not for some time to come. Maybe.

"The Raevr performs well above the EVI I am used to piloting. I wonder how Paralovi will like the new body once we get her transplanted.." the Eyr ranr answered, wondering idly. As she spoke, her Raevr made its way into the hangar, she realized she hadn't actually answered Mu'Tasim's question.

"I think I did fairly well, but could have done better. I chalk it up to being fairly new to the frame and not having Paralovi with me. She must be lonely by now." it seemed the Blonde was overly concerned with her old frame's NI, to the point of attachment to it. Her current frame, in ARMS mode, touched down in the Astarte's hangar, and began its shutdown procedure while the girl inside prepared to disembark.

"I'm sure she's fine." Mu'Tasim before he stepped out of his Erla II, ready to be done with the ugly business of battle. Though, the mention of Paralovi brought forth the mention of his own Famasir N.I. He never learned whether or not the intelligence survived the crash. Losing that N.I. felt like losing the real Famasir for a second time. The thought dulled his expression for a moment before he was interrupted by one of the mechanics were nice enough to bring him his mantle. He thanked the person and put his hefty Temple Guard robe on, his link-suit drying underneath. He looked over to Zus' Raevr and spotted her unit landing.

Mu'Tasim strolled on over, to the front of her unit, likely being the first thing she'd see when her hatch would open.

Mridula came running into the hangar, toweling off her prajna-soaked hair, the rest of her still drenched. She skidded to a stop near the door and decided just to watch, for now, glad that the frame runners had survived - without her sensors, she had had no idea what was going on.