While the team was standing around inside Hanger 7, Nero decided to step outside. As he walked out he took another cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. The desert air was thick enough to swim through, but Nero needed to take a minute. He took a long drag and let out a ring of smoke. As he watched the runway he could see a squad of nuggets walking up the row of hangers. Nero had seen these recruits make there way through here at about the same time every day. That instructor sounded a lot like Jayden the more he thought about it. Really pissy and never able to be pleased. Nero laughed to himself at the comparison. He could hear him yelling from where he stood.
Instructor Haskins could be heard yelling at the top of his lungs from across the base. He was known on base as the hardest instructor, well except Jayden. Haskins and his nuggets were returning from a training exersise. From the sounds of it, it didn't go very well.
"I just don't get it! I gave simple instructions. One foot in front of the other. Follow the person in front of you. Pay attention to your surroundings. Don't get caught." Haskins' little training exercise had very little to do with flight or anything that seemed like it would help these fledgling pilots. It was actually a test to see just how well they could rely on each other to get through a course while thinking outside of the box. The greater meaning behind it would eventually save their lives one day. If they ever made it past the academy. "Ugh... grab some water and be back in 5 minutes, we're going to try the course once more. I swear if Watkins trips up the entire class again, I might just have to..." Haskins paused noticing the audience that wasn't there a moment ago.
One of the 'nuggets' in question was a rather non-descript being. Her name was Johanna Cigaro, though she went by the name Jo. Her handle was Smokey, thanks to how she could fly like smoke through the trials. She had short cropped hair and looked more like one of the guys than an actual girl, though at closer inspection her features were definitely more feminine. She stood at ease as she listened to Instructor Haskins give his usual 'speech' of the day. The same one they all heard every night for the past week. She knew that none would ever be able to get Haskins to admit that they did better than he expected this last time, but it was still rather amusing to hear him rant and rave as if they didn't do anything at all.
He was a quiet sort of individual, a man who in his time so far in the training program had kept mostly to himself despite being surrounded by others who may have served as friends, no; to the man they were competition and he would not let himself get distracted. Leo had learned to respect the instructor despite his disposition, realizing that the harder he pressed home these concepts the more likelyhood it could benefit them on the field of battle. Nothing truthfully separated this man from any of the other nuggets there, seemingly calm on the surface with notable glacial blue eyes that could peer some distance off. That glacial stare lasted even now as he regarded the instructor intently, looking to Haskins with complete focus, an expectant composure about him as he too assumed a more at ease posture beside the other rookies. Simply waiting for a chance to prove himself, to use deeds instead of words.
As Nero watched Cipher piped up again, except this time he could also be heard on the speaker from his Uno. What was worse was he sounded urgent. "Sir we have a huge problem..." As Cipher spoke the Emergency Klaxons started to blare. "There are multiple unknown contacts incoming. There are multiple shuttles in the formation, I believe they are trying to storm the base..." Cipher said. Nero changed from his calm cool and collected self, into a whrilwind. "Cipher, find out all you can about the enemy birds and spin up the engines. Commander ready all Aquillas for emergency scramble." He contacted the control tower. "Sentinel Actual, this is Aquila 1, we are scrambling off of runway 119. Keep it clear!"
"Negative Aquila 1, there are two incoming transport ships about to land on that runway. One of those, a shuttle, is making an emergency landing due to a thruster failure."
"Damn it Sentinel Actual, Did you look at your radar today? We have half of a battilion bearing down on us! Find the transport another runway if you don't want it blown out of the sky!"
"Aquila 1, there's no time. That ship is..." Just as the tower control was about to press the issue once more, the first of the transports touched down. Billowing smoke could be seen coming off the rear port side of the shuttle and then a large explosion seemingly ripped the shuttle apart, sending a huge fireball into the air and pieces of the hull all over the runway.
Jo turned as she heard the Klaxons, even though they had heard them before during drills. But something told her that this wasn't a drill. She could hear the AI from another hanger, but couldn't hear what the one that was watching them say in return. She looked up, though, as she heard what was clearly a ship coming in. A transport by the look of it. She watched and waited, wide-eyed as it crashed on the runway. "Oh...that's not gonna be good." Her words were an understatement.
He felt his pulse quicken, the sensation of tension as it spreads through his frame in the form of a brisk adrenaline rush, with a hint of something else prevalent just behind the surface, a desire to throw himself into the midst of the chaos that unfolded before him. Leo ran his fingers unconciously over the handle to the pistol at his side while finding that he was unable to stand still any longer in this pointless drill after a craft had exploded violently across the run way, scattering debris over a long distance while the smoke and fire rises weightlessly up from the crash site. He knew instantaneously that it wasn't likely any survived the crash. Throwing himself forward into what appeared to be a brisk jog the man would roar from his depths abruptly towards the others nearby. The first time he had spoken for days when not adressing a superior. "What the fuck is happening!?"
Jayden made his way toward Nero, Haskins, and the cadet with a look that would freeze most in their tracks. It was sharp, serious, and most of all - he wasn't in the mood to put up with shit from anyone. "Captain, early warning systems have detected a larger number than originally estimated. There are multiple ship types, but the majority are bombers. ETA is less than 5 minutes, meaning they had a way to get past our planetary defenses some how. They mean to erradicate Fort Sentinel. Hanger 7 is effectively blocked off from launching normally as there isn't another runway to taxi to. We're just going to have to finesse our way up or die trying." He looked to Haskins and glared, "What the hell are you waiting for? These cadets need to be on a shuttle getting out of here NOW! That's an order Lt."
As Jayden gave Nero the run down, he recived more bad news from Cipher. "Sir, I am sorry to say, but that shuttle had our two TBD pilots..." Nero was pissed now. "SON OF A BITCH!" He heard Jayden order the cadets to haul ass. He turned around and looked Haskins in the eye. "Belay that order Lt. I need your two best nuggets. Who are they?"
Haskins was reeling, the Klaxons going off caught him off guard and it would be the first time the cadets would see him visibly shaken. Maybe that's why he was at a training facility and not attached to an actual fighter wing. "I... I don't know..." He stammered, as if having been asked a question. Then he heard Jayden's report and subsequent order and snapped out of his fear induced spacing. He was just about to move and order the nuggets to board the nearest shuttle when Nero overrode Jayden's command. "I... Uh... Cigaro and Knight... they have the highest marks so far... but neither of them are cleared to fly let alone have their wings."
"I don't care. Knight, Cigaro congrats on getting your temporary wings. On me, we need to scramble NOW!" Nero called moving to enter the hanger.
Jo had started to move towards the shuttle as ordered, but then she heard her name and blinked. She didn't question it as she hustled back and nodded. "Thank you, sir." She moved to the hanger and took a look around. She had heard of the program going on and knew what to expect when she went into the hanger. What she wasn't sure of was which one she would be taking just yet...but she had an idea of what she wanted.
Leo hadn't started moving off with the rest of the nuggets when the first orders were called, he paced back and forth like a caged tiger with his nose scrunched up preparing to protest before the most ideal of situations happened, the chance he always wished for had presented itself in the fires of true combat. He could feel his heart getting ready to jump out of his chest as he turned and saluted the man who offered it and then further the man who recommended him before sprinting off towards the hanger in a brisk fashion, a toothy smirk was spreading across his lips now. He would find if he still retained any fortune in the skies above this world and perhaps also a beautiful death that could release him from his memories. Muttering under his breath as he ran to the hanger. "...Blood for blood"
As much as Jayden wanted to spew forth explicatives in rapid succession at his CO for what he thought was a terrible move, he just clicked his tongue then seemingly "bit" it hard to keep from saying anything at all. Haskins and the other cadets were seen out of the corner of Jayden's eyes heading out toward another shuttle as the second transport, a much larger cargo ship, crashed through Hanger 5 and plowed through Hanger 6 erupting in another ball of fire. "For fucks sake..." Jayden called as he sprinted toward Hanger 7 before all hell broke loose. "Sentinel Actual, this is Lt. Commander Jayden Solaris, Aquila 2. This is a priority one communication with direct command authority by way of Rear Admiral Titus Orion, authorization code Delta 4 9 1 7 Omega. Clear that god damned runway now."
As Nero usherd the two new Aquilas into Hanger 7 as he waited for Jayden. However the cargo carrier from earlier smashed through hangers 5 and 6 ending in a fireball. Nero was thrown off his feet and smashed into the wall of the hanger. He lost consciousness for a few seconds, hearing only a few mumblings from here and there. As he came to and tried to stand, he coughed, spitting up blood. "Shit..." He said falling back down as he tried to walk forward.
Jo stumbled forward from the impact and growled a bit as she was so close to what she was needing to do. What she was wanting to do. She glanced over when she heard Nero and went to his side, "Come on, sir. Let's get you inside at least."
Leo would abruptly feel the impact of the wave of energy after the bomb went off, the breath was stolen from him as the heat makes him turn away and he throws himself to the ground, rolling over towards the side as debris in the form of shrapnel is scattering across the hanger. Getting back up onto his feet just as briskly the man turned to peer over at the others who were closer to the blast, and the team leader who had given him the chance he now retained. Debating proceeding on without them the man relented and decided that if he couldn't get there with them; he didn't deserve the opportunity. Going to join his fellow Nugget at the side of the man he looked him over briefly for more serious wounds before growling forth. "Let's get in there before we're fucking pasted!"
Jayden looked back to the other straggling behind and huffed. "Come on... come on, move your asses!" Just as he finished yelling at them he heard the sound of a familiar voice chime in his ear. "Commander~ Aren't you going to join me for the fireworks?~" Lilith called to him like some bubbly school girl talking to her first crush. "Do we really have to do this right now Lilith? Can't you for once just be serious?!" He spat back at her. "But Jayden, you promised me you'd take me out for a joy ride today. I'm not taking another raincheck. Besides, I'm the only way you're getting out of here so you better be nice to me mister." Lilith responded with a pout that a daddy's girl would use to get money from their father. "Nero, I swear you're a dead man if we survive this. I'll kill you myself!" Words that only Lilith would hear. Having prepared for emergencies like this, Jayden had donned his Hostile with lightning quickness and boarded his Uno which Lilith had already prepped and ready to go.
As the new cadets moved Nero inside he waved them off as he leaned on his Uno. "Get the...*coughs*...ACEs from the locker over there, get in a plane, and get in the air now!" Nero yelled, illicting another bout of coughing. Nero could tell he had broken some ribs. "Captain, your hurt..." Nero turned and moved to don a hostile. "I will be fine once I am in the PA. Finish pre flight and get ready to roll." He called, loading himself into his Hostile. As he finished, he could feel the Hostile suit prefoming first aid on him. He ran to his Uno and climbed into the Cockpit. "All Aquilas, if you didn't hear me the first damn time, scramble now!"
Jo nodded when he ordered them to get the ACEs and then get a plane. She got to the locker where they were located and picked one at random, then raced to a Quattro. She wasn't quite sure what it was fitted with at the moment...for she wasn't expecting to be part of this squad just yet. She slipped into the Hostile that was assigned with the ship and then climbed aboard. She put the AI disc where it belonged and powered up the system.
"Systems online and functioning. State name, rank, serial number."
Jo said quickly, "Johanna Cigaro, Ensign, XVT775666."
"Thank you. What name will you give this AI?"
"Jethro. We don't have time for formalities. We need to get into the air ASAP!!"
Seeing the team leader get back up onto his feet the man would soak in his commands before decidedly sprinting into the hanger at a faster pace, first finding his way over towards the lockers as he suited himself in the Hostile powered armor that was actually like a second skin to the man after his service albeit briefly in the marines. Feeling as the artifical muscles kick into an active functioning mode as he slipped the last piece about his frame, the man extended his arm in a flexing motion as he rolls his broad shoulders. Knocking one of the lockers lazily ajar with a loud metallic clack before decidedly taking one of the spare ACE systems. Certainly this tool would come in handy while in the midst of combat; he was relatively unprepared compared to active pilots. Though as he turned about, suited and ready. He quickly picked out an unoccupied Uno, striding over towards it with a new found resolve as he boards the craft, climbing up into the cockpit and settling the power armor into place with an audible series of clacks before the machine closes about him and the man goes through the sequence of activating the A.I, inseting the device before he was greeted by the naturally femanine tone of the synthetic being.
"All systems online, integration completed, enter pilot data"
the man seethed under his breath for a moment before the same toothy smirk returned as he spoke in his naturally gravelly tone of voice.
"Ensign Leo Knight, TEX420774"
"Set unit name"
He paused at that instant, preparing to fly himself into a life and death situation for the first time in a machine like this, inadvetently losing focus he contemplated back for that moment, muttering gingerly under his breath; though not to the machine. "Rachel..."
"Confirmed Ensign Knight"