RP: 21st Fighter Sq [Mission 1.0] Christening of Blood

The Kawarime accelerated in pursuit of the battlepods. One of the trailing battlepods taking hits from the missiles faltered and came tumbling downward past the Shin's fighter. As the Kawarime cycled the aether turbo engines to exo-mode the fighter started shuddering.

Ren's status screen began flashing a number of errors.

Ren stared at the flashing error. "What is... It can't be" she pulled up a quick querry to check which error it was, then squeeked loudly, her binky falling out of her mouth, and dangling unused from it's catcher. She quickly turns off the EXO-MODE. "Sh...shin! Shin the engine pump is losing pressure! It won't work, I'm going to have to fix it before we can get out of the atmosphere!" She says, checking for immediate threats. Assuming she sees none, she moves on to the next step, figuring out the pump's location, and determining the best way to fix it, or at least to jury rig a suitable replacement. In the meantime she flips the vehicle into a lower performance mode, to reduce the damage it deals to it's self.

Unfortunately it was an exterior part. She made a mental note to request an airlock with a tie-down and repair kit so that external repairs could be made mid-battle for the next upgrade to the ship.

Without the fighter being able to get to full power, the distance between the Kawarime and the battlepods continued to increase. Leaving Shin with no alternative but to return to base.

"Fighter V8X2 32-0040, this is Shotou Air Control. You are not cleared for transorbital maneuver. We are assuming control of your systems, and bringing you back to the base. Any attempt to regain control of your systems, will be deemed a hostile attack and you wll be fired upon. Air Control Out"

On the system status board displayed: "Security Protocol Engaged. Control Systems Overridden." The Kawarime's systems switched to remote, and the flight controls in Shin's compartment were rendered inactive. The fighter executed a banking dive to starboard, and began a controlled descent back to the base.

Shin Grumbled as the Air traffic Controller took control of his Kawarime from him, sitting back in the cockpit and crossing his arms, grumbling.

"Stupid piece of crap. If the engines hadn't crapped out on me, I would've been able to chase down those battlepods."

Hachirou would bank in to land with Shin, after clearing his way through Shotou Air Traffic Control.

"Shin. Report to me as soon as we've landed. That's a direct order." He growled over the radio.

The fighter with Shin and Ren in it lightly touched down on the runway and taxied to the main terminal. As they approached the main terminal area they could see a number of Enclosed Surface Terrain Vehicles lined up. A group of soldiers were standing near them watching the fighter approach.

Ren relaxed for the first time since the vehicle took off, and squeaked loudly, biting into her pacifier. "Owwwwww.... ow ow ow.... cramp, cramp..." She moaned as she tried to wriggle and stretch. Then, pained, she activated the com system "So... How's everything going with the other group?" she asked, curiously, though a bit strained by her cramps.

As the Kawarime rolled to a stop the canopy began raising up to allow the occupants to exit. The engines and other primary systems powered down.

The soldiers who had been standing by the ESTV's now raised their weapons to point towards the fighter. One of the ground techs approached the fighter and rolled a ladder up to the side of the craft.

Hachirou's Kawarime taxied quickly in behind Shin and Binky's fighter. Pulling to a stop off to one side of his opposite number, Hachirou popped the canopy open before the tires ceased turning.

"Lower your weapons! These men are under my command. I'll take care of them." He shouted from his fighter.

As soon as a ladder was rolled up, he climbed down, and strode toward Shin's Kawarime.

The Juni in charge of the security detail, shouted back "What's your name Shoi? So I can notify my superior?" he inquired while motioning for the men to lower their weapons. He activated his comm and the ESTV's started to withdraw.

"Hayashi Hachirou, 21st Squadron. Tell your superior we say hello." He answered, halfway to his subordinate's fighter.

With a curt bow, the Juni acknowledged Hachiriou. He ordered the detail to head back to their stations.

As Shin popped the fighter's canopy open, the yamataian had a smug smile on his face, grinning with satisfaction as he saw Hachirou do something to get the MP's to not arrest him.

"Well, I suppose that you're here to reprimand me for being an awesome ace pilot who is only acting as expected from the way he was trained?"

Ren popped her canopy, and, stiffly, stepped out of the vehicle. She started to climb down the ladder when her adrenaline shot fingers slipped, and she fell a couple feet to the ground.

Her pacifier was dangling from the chord around her neck, not in her mouth, but the motions she was making with her mouth implied that she REALLY wanted to chew on it. "owwww" she groaned again, sitting up

"Did... Did I do well?" She asked, eyes wide her voice quivering. It was difficult to tell at whom the question was directed.

Hachirou intended to wipe that smug grin off Shin’s face.

The short man grabbed Shin by the front of his suit, thrusting him back against the fighter with enough force to knock the breath out of him.

“Are you smiling?!” He said in a deadly whisper. “Are you happy with yourself, you self-righteous little punk?! You're disgusting.”

Hachirou shook him. “Do you understand that you not only endangered your life, and Binky’s life, but the entire squadron?! NINE TO ONE. Not Six to one, even though that was bad enough. Nine to one. And someone got shot down because you’re so full of yourself. How can you be happy with that? He’s hospitalized. We don’t even know if he’s going to live.”

Hachirou let Shin drop, and took a step back. “You should be ashamed. There’s no glory here. No Honor. Any respect I had, or that the Chui had for you… You’ll have to prove yourself. But not like a fool. Follow orders, or…” Hachirou closed his eyes and said it in a low, deathly note. “I’ll shoot you down myself. Don’t think I can’t, because I've made your damned 'ace' status ten times over in the wars I've fought, boy.”

Suddenly, and violently, he rounded on Binky. On Ren.

“And why didn’t you stop him? Why didn’t you at least follow orders? Numa Atsui-Chui gave one. But I gave you the benefit of the doubt. But when you didn’t force your pilot to obey my direct order to return to the squadron, it may yet cost someone their life. It cost you my trust, and you shamed me, for believing you would do what was right for your squadronmates. You're just as slimy and self-centered as he is.”

Disgusted, Hachirou turned his back on them. “Now, I’m giving another order. Follow it, for your own good. Get the next available transport. Rendezvous with the rest of the squadron. Go. Now.” Then he strode away from them, leaving no room for reply.

Ren blinked "But... but I tried" she murmered, her throat choking up a little. Tears started to well up in her eyes, but she blinked them back, and levered herself off the ground, shaking her head.

She had tried, she had threatened to cut power to the engines, and she had turned off the turbos, but it had done little to dissuade her co-pilot, and she had been too afraid, too confused, and too inexperienced to actually carry out her threat of cutting off the engine.

As for the later order, the one to let the infantry mop up, she had, in the excitement of the nosedive, failed to notice it. If she had, she would have asked Shin to return. (OOC: I, as a player, had to read through a few times to notice it in recapping, so I figure she missed it too)

Dejectedly, ears pressed low against her head, she stooped towards one of the men working the base. "When and where is the next avalible transport?" she asked, dejectedly.