RP: 21st Fighter Sq [Mission 4.0] - Breaking the Dam

The canopy flew away from the fighter propelled by the air that had been in the cockpit. It tumbled away from the to soldiers just another piece of flotsam in space.

Meanwhile another piece of flotsam from a battlepod impacted the starboard wing of Anne's 0079. It imparted a portion of its kinetic energy and caused the Teisatsui to roll at a precipitous rate. The fighter was not seriously damaged, but its rate of roll was rapidly winding the line that Anne had tied to herself as an anchor. After the third rotation the line was taut and pulling at Anne.

Yaeko had been watching the activities of the rest of the squadron, figuring that it was her responsibility to make sure they were okay before landing. What she saw going on with Anne and the spook seemed like a good idea until the debris knocked away Anne's fighter. "Damn it! Elisto, I'm coming to get you, with all that debris I don't want you getting hurt before S&R can get out to you. Stay where you are and make sure you're unbuckled from your restraints. Anne, just get inside your fighter before you crash into something important. Silic, hold on and don't get sick."

She carefully navigated her Kawarime over to where Elisto's fighter was and pulled up next to it. After having the computer line up the two crafts next to each other she rummaged through the emergency kit for whatever rope or cords that she could find, grabbed one end, and pushed the other towards Elisto, allowing the zero-gravity of space to do most of the work. "I'm sure we can fit three people in here. Besides, it's easier to get you into the ship that's already missing the canopy."

"Shit," was all Anne said in response as her ship started to rotate. She frowned as she saw potentially dangerou situation. At least Elisto was okay. She waited mere second and then pulled on the lifeline propelling herself towards her own fighter trying to caught on the wing as it rotated near her.

She then climbed over the life line into the cockpit and climbing in. She was dizzy and sick but she could handle it. When she safely sit inside he cockpit she took controls and stopped rotation. She then sighed and opened communication. "Firstly I have space behind my chair where Elisto-san can comfortly squat and second Hunter. As our squadron medic I must say that flying into debris field with open cockpit is very stupid idea and you are risking life of your, Vas-san. So please turn back and let me handle it." She said. She then rotated her ship so Elisto can easily fly into her cockpit.

“Bring it, I welcome death at this point.” Silic spoke up, voice deadpan. “Since when did I become hers?” asked, turning slightly. The very thought terrified him.

Elisto couldn't help but smile at Silics response, at least the man no fear and thats one of the qualities he liked. "My thanks XO, but honestly I do have to agree a bit with Anne-hei, you're fighter is badly damaged as is and though you are missing a canopy, it wouldn't be a good idea for me to ride on the side or perhaps somewhere in the back."

Kenshin tried to navigate his Kawarime closer to the Heitan with the rest of the squadron. When they came to the debris field, he dialed down his ships throttle to a mere fraction of the fighters full speed so as to avoid making a potentially fatal collision with one of the scattered remnants of battle or errant warheads, maneuvering his fighter past the charred, broken wreckage of both Star Army and NMX ships alike.

The sight of the Heitan, pitted with hull breaches, aflame and venting atmosphere immediately dissipated whatever elation the Yamataian had felt from returning from his first mission alive and relatively unscathed.

He silently cursed the Mishhuvurthyar under his breath, maintaining a stationary position whilst Spook's new travel arrangements were being sorted. Nonetheless, he was forced to reorient his fighter on two occasions to prevent collisions with wreckage moving under its own inertia.

Akemi drifted in her fighter along side of Kenshin, she looked upon their carrier and offered a silent prayer for those who had lost their lives.

She looked at the other ship's in the Heitan's group and most of them were in pretty much the same state ad the carrier. A good number of the ships were obviously dead. "This battle came at a heavy price. I just hope it was worth it." She said to Kenshin over the radio.

"Whatever you folks are going to, please do it. I would like to get aboard the Heitan." she sent across the squadron channel.

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"Diamonds what is the hold up? We have other ships in the pattern that need to get in. Move your asses or we will bump you to the end of the queue." came the voice of the Flight Control Boss.



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Meanwhile closer to the gate the NMX forces were finding themselves fighting a battle on two fronts. The Star Army forces were hammering at the NMX with everything they had. They fought with a ferocity born of rage.

Ira circled around Yaeko and Elisto's fighter acting as a kind of watch dog. With the call of a hold up Ira responded swiftly. "We are just picking up our wounded control. I don't like leaving my pilots sitting in space." He said Curtly.

This battle was taking its toll on hard ware, but it was a good thing Yamatians were near immortal. In a way this was more of a game considering the wondrous technology Yamatai possessed. 'Pick up the pace we still have a dance party to attend Diamonds." Ira said on the squadron channel.

Elisto took that moment to get into the space behind Anne's seat. Cramped... but can't be choosy, he muttered and patted Anne's shoulder.

Yaeko shook her head. Why complain about her fighter being damaged and then have Elisto get into her fighter which just had a wing hammered by a floating battlepod. And she definitely didn't appreciate the newbie taking her piloting abilities into question and stating the obvious multiple times.

After turning her fighter back towards the landing bay she flipped into a closed comm channel. "Anne, I am one of the senior pilots in the squadron, I just watched your fighter get slapped by a piece of scrap because you left it unattended, and I am well aware that debris can enter an empty canopy, just as I'm aware that safety shouldn't be brought into question by the inexperience pilot that just damaged her wing. I would appreciate it in the future if you could trust me a little more."

Satisfied with her small rant, she brought her fighter into the landing bay, carefully setting it down and powering down.

As soon as the fighter powered off Silic was outta there, not bothering with a ladder he simply jumped to the ground and hared off out of the hangar fiddling with his helmet. He ran into the nearest bathroom and in the quiet anonymity of a toilet cubicle emptied his stomach of all the fear and terror he's just sat through, as well as whatever was left of last nights dinner. For a while he simply stayed like that and shivered softly while his heart rate tried to settle, slow tears welled in his half artificial eyes and fell into the bowl.

Kenshin replied to Akemi's statement back over the squadron's comms, "You're not alone in hoping that, Tamahagane-Hei... but I fear that the price in blood paid for further victories will only be getting steeper as this damned war escalates." The Yamataian released a weighted sigh, before directing a communique towards the carrier and repositioning his fighter to make the next landing.

"Heitan Flight Control, this is 0096. I am now making my landing on Hanger Deck Beta." Kenshin lowered his fighters landing gear and maneuvered his Kawarime through the containment field threshold of the ships Recovery Bay, bringing it down upon the deck with a slight thud. The fighter continued to roll forward with some inertia until Kenshin put on the breaks and brought the craft to a final stop.

The young Yamataian initiated the fighter's shutdown sequence, popped the cockpit canopy and climbed out onto the cold metal plating below. His hands reached for the clasps to his suits helmet, removing it. He leaned against his ship for a few moments, catching his breath and watching in wearied silence as some of the Heitan's logistics crew prepared to receive the landing fighters and relocate them to their respective births.

Anne just got scolded. All this happened and she was doing whateve she wanted. And now she got scolded. And for good reason. Hunter was her superior adn she opened her mouth on her. Elisto could see how Anne tensed when Yaeko scolded her. "I- I apologize Miss- Ma'am." Anne said. She then took multi-tool cut the life line and closed the cockpit. She then looked over her should to see if Elisto is fine.

Only then she moved with rest of the diamonds to land on the Heitan. Landing with Elisto behind her will be trucky, she also hoped that the piece of debris did not damage her fighter too much. She will just land all nice and slow when she came up in the landing cue.

After landing she opened her cocpit and looked at Elisto. "A-are you okay?" She asked while she took her helmet off letting her haid fall on her back. She was real nervous and felt bad. All the tenstion came to her now when mission was over. She needed fresh air.

Akemi maneuvered her fighter into the recovery bay with the landing gear descending as she entered. She felt the shudder as her Kawarime passed through the containment field. She put it down on the marks and waited for the pallet to grab the landing gear. Once the pallet started moving she cycled the canopy and released her restraints.

As her fighter moved into the bay she climbed out of the fighter and dropped to the surface of the pallet. Akemi cracked the seal on her helmet and removed it; then pulling off her gloves she placed them into the helmet. She took a deep breath of the ship's air and surveyed the bay, taking notice of the number of damaged craft. Akemi then took a moment to look at her fighter 0097. Its smooth outer surface was pitted and scarred from the destructive energies that had pierced the shields. Each one of them was a reminder of how close to being destroyed the craft had been. She patted the fuselage of her fighter and stepped off the platform.

Spotting Kenshin she walked over to where he stood. "Live to fight another day, eh Murasaki-Hei." She said as she thumped his shoulder in a camaraderie fashion.

"I am, thank you," said Elisto as he placed a hand on Anne's shoulder. He slowly got out of the fighter and looked at the ICP that he had on his person. "Can you pull your ICP please?" he asked and glanced toward Yaeko's fighter and noticed that Silic was missing. Where'd he go? he pondered curiously as he looked around.

Yaeko watched Silic take off towards the bathroom, a slight look of pity in her eyes. We need to do something about him, his body can't function like this for too much longer. After waiting for the ladder she climbed down and glanced over at the person who seemed to be in charge of the repairs for her fighter. "Uhm, sorry about the... uh... Yeah..."

She waited for most of the other fighters to begin landing before she called out. "Diamonds, the Taii will most likely want to meet and debrief with us. Meet back in our normal briefing room in 15 minutes." She then quickly drafted a message and sent it out.

Anne was out of it thinking about what she did. How could she talk how that to her superior? Was she mad? Luckily Elisto tore out of her thoughts with his question. "ICP?" she asked first in confusion while still sitting in her cockpit. "Oh yeah. Sure, here it is." She said, pulled it out and reached down to hand it to Eliso. "I would like to have look at it with you later Elisto-san," She said then.

WHen they brough stairs to her, she climbed down. She looked around until she saw Yaeko. Anne sighed and walked down to her. "Ma'sm," she said and bowed to Yaeko when she reached her. "First I want to apologize for my behaviour. I will accept any punishment you deem apropriate." Anne bowed down as she was apologizing. "But I must also aks if you would relieve me of the post-mission briefing ma'am. There must be a lot of injured and I would like to go help on infirmary. I may not be skilled pilot but I am very skilled in things of medicine mistre- ma'am." She finished her monologue still bowed down.

"Thanks, and I'd welcome your assistance," said Elisto as he grabbed Anne's ICP and checked it over before putting it with his own. He then watched her walk over to Yaeko, he half wanted to tell Anne-hei that things like this happen after a battle ends, adrenaline bumps and people tend to do or say things that they normally wouldn't say.

When he heard Yaeko's briefing order, he gave a nod. In the back of his mind though, he honestly wasn't sure if he had made the right decision to go with Anne-hei when Yaeko had suggested he go with her. His years of being a captain of a gunboat had taught him to always follow the chain of command, but in this case he had been thrown into a scenario he hadn't been thrown into before. He felt odd to him, he realized now that going into the military and not requesting that his captainship rank he served in the police to somehow be acceptable as an officer in the army. Civilian and military outfits all have a different way of doing things, he thought to himself as he watched Yaeko, waiting to see if she would call him over to either scold him or to just tell him to get to the briefing room. Whatever was the case, after the briefing he intended to examine the sensor data and footage to see just what it was they were up against.

She's not SAINT, but she did see things and scan things I didn't, so her input has a lot of value to it, then he glanced around, he was still wondering where Silic was.

Errowyn stood, looking over the landing bay, counting the fighters that came in and the personel of the squadron. Seeing one of the men dart off towards the latrine. She looked back at the others climbing out of their fighters showing signs of battle.

She was abit amazed at seeing Elisto climb out of another fighter. But she was abit happy to see him again and alright. She tuned her coms to squadron freq, just catching the last of the order to meet in the squad briefing room.

Errowyn sighed softly and moved towards the briefing room.

Ira brought is fighter into the bay and was one of the last ones to land. He made no move to interact with the squadron, though he seemed to be acting very secretively. "Mission complete." Ira said calmly. "Anybody wanna go out and get some chow?'