moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on Feb 10, 2018 16:04:17 GMT -6
It was finally done with.
Never mind that Linnea hadn’t actually done much. She's gotten deployed late and hid somewhere while the others did their thing. She shot a dude or two, almost got shot. But even with minimal things done on her part, she felt almost sick. Not necessarily the motion-sickness vomit kind of sick, but her stomach had been doing flips the entire time. Being in a giant robot and in an actual battle were both things she had yet to get used to. Putting them together only made things harder.
She would have appreciated the moment of rest if she hadn’t been charged with carrying one of the researchers. The louder of the two they’d carried up with them, mind you.
Linnea kept an uneasy eye on the researcher as he made his introduction, awkwardly waiting for him to step out so she could do the same—
Wait why was he—
Knight in shining armor?
A brief glance at her surroundings revealed that people were watching. Oh, god. She tried to keep her expression neutral and succeeded in only looking mildly confused as she was pulled out of the cockpit.
“I--… hero?”
And he turned his eyes to the Hoplite they stepped out of. She looked up at it as well, not completely understanding this… Cinco’s words. As far as she could tell, there was nothing inherently wrong with it. Given his demeanor, however – who dyed their hair like that? – she figured it was a matter of style.
“… Um.” She really was thoroughly at a loss for words. “I’m... not very good at this sort of thing, but I will give it consideration during our break. If you have any suggestions, Mr. Deway, I’d be willing to listen.”
Listen. Because while she had no style (and no grace), she wasn't sure she trusted his [funny face].
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on Feb 11, 2018 23:49:17 GMT -6
The Spartan paused, turning to face the bespectacled mechanic. A thumbs-up was enough to tell him that Sean had received the message loud and clear. The machine slowly approached its stall, resting its chaingun on the nearest weapon rack. The Spartan’s eyes dimmed as it powered down.
Hhhsssssss.
Its cockpit hissed as it opened. Sean failed to follow proper safety procedures and emerged before it fully opened, climbing down the Spartan’s skirt before hopping to the ground with a heavy thud. He stretched his cramped knees and cracked his weary back, reminding himself to upholster his machine with a more comfortable leather. He spent a moment gazing silently at the Spartan. Then, he turned to watch the other pilots approach.
The moment Gabe’s feet touched solid ground, Sean wrapped his arm around his old pal’s neck.
“So this is what it feels like to pal around with the pros! Long past are the days we spent waiting for our next assignment, only to learn that it was yet another fallen tree blocking an empty road. Did I not tell ye that this was a good idea?”
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Post by Charredgp on Feb 11, 2018 23:50:43 GMT -6
It had been a little disappointing being called back before the action was even done, but orders were orders. And the rest of the gang had shown up no worse for the wear, so everything worked out. And it meant that he got to really put the Phalanx through its paces before he had to wrap up and return to the ship.
Gabe had at least gotten to relax while they waited for the others to come back, but it was good to be out of the AA now, giving one last glance at the towering machine. He knew he'd probably have to do some work on it before he was satisfied for the next mission, assuming they let him, but at the very least he still needed to give it the old Crwydryn Touch soon. But before his feet had even hit the ground, his thoughts of work were scattered by the hairy arm around his neck.
"It was pretty intense, but I feel a bit robbed. I thought this was supposed to be our ticket OUT of that frozen hellhole, not the key to a whole lot more of it."
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Post by S☆E on Feb 13, 2018 2:48:44 GMT -6
Ernest tipped the bill of his camo hat to the grateful researcher. "It's a soldier's duty. Shame we hadn't gotten there sooner." he curtly replies.
Spotting Linnea dealing with her own guest, he gives the blonde scientist's hand a quick squeeze and excuses himself, approaching the two of them. "Well Fawn, looks like Bambi's finally learned how to walk! 'Scuse me, Mister Spotlight-" he says, edging Cinco away from the flabbergasted pilot. "I'll be expecting a full report on your performance for evaluation later, soldier." he barks sternly. After seeing Linnea tense up, standing nearly at attention, his stoneface cracks and he punches her lightly in the upper arm. "I'm kidding, o'course. That ain't my duty any longer. You did alright, Bambi."
Leaving the overdramatic nerd with the anxious bundle of nerves, Ernest spots - what was his name... Shane? - the loud ginger and the little raincloud hanging on each other. Still riding the high boys, or are you just that glad to be back your own two feet? he thinks bemusedly, giving the two of them a casual salute when they look his way. Feeling the familiar itch in his throat, his salute turns into a pantomime gesture of taking a drink and he nods towards the corridor before heading that way himself.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on Feb 14, 2018 1:43:42 GMT -6
"Hardly my fault that the Russians spread their butt-cheeks so willingly," Sean remarked. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Ernest's salute and quickly saluted back. "Now he's got the right idea. This calls for celebration!"
Sean practically dragged his friend through the Menaulion's hallways. He turned his head to steal one last glance at the woman who had just climbed out of the Peltast. Myra let her helmet rest under her arm as she unfastened the tie that kept her hair bundled neatly inside it. She wiped the sweat from her brow with the backside of her sleeve as she descended the stairs, relishing the feeling of fresh, chilly air that poured into the bustling hangar. It was a pleasant contrast to the perfectly-controlled air inside the cockpit.
Her first instinct was to make a mad dash for the showers, but there was something Myra had to do first.
"You must be... Kara, right?" Myra asked, approaching the DAGGER's pilot. "Don't believe we've had the chance to meet. At least, not outside our machines."
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Post by Charredgp on Feb 14, 2018 12:48:37 GMT -6
Though he wasn't too close to the old man, Sean did have a point. Their first real mission with the new machines had gone more or less smoothly, at least on their end. But he would protest being literally dragged to the bar, in what was practically a routine between the two of them even at an outside glance.
"Dammit Sean, I barely even got touched, I can walk!"
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Post by S☆E on Feb 14, 2018 13:22:28 GMT -6
"Well well, look who's back already." Lisa said, wiping out a glass with a towel. "Just couldn't get enough of me last night, eh Ernie?"
Ernest grinned sheepishly and took a seat at the bar, holding up four fingers. "Got company, Lisa. Should be coming in hot."
Sure enough, it was mere seconds before Sean and Gabe's struggle was heard outside. As they entered Ernest swiveled around on his barstool and waved them over.
"Hope you boys drink whiskey." he said, gesturing towards the two drinks sitting on the bar.
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Linkyu
Cosmic Kiddie
aaa
Posts: 47
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Post by Linkyu on Feb 14, 2018 15:02:18 GMT -6
A few minutes ago… Kara powered down her machine once it was in place in its dedicated spot. Her hands stayed on the controls for a few minutes; how long had it been since her last mission? Six months? Ten? She slowly let go of the sidesticks as she recounted. Her last official sortie was 8 months ago. Much too long for her taste; she was glad to be back in action. With methodic, instinctive movements, she unfastened her shoulder harness, seatbelt, and helmet strap. She removed her helmet and did the usual check up; nothing to report on it. The rest of the cockpit seemed good to go as well. Once she had stowed the helmet in its compartment, she opened the large hatch of the pit; the cool air threw a shiver down her spine despite the heated suit.
The maintenance crew was already buzzing around the DAGGER when she exited the machine. Very quickly, she identified the team supervisor and made a beeline for him. She briefly saluted him and talked to him; she had to elevate her voice to cover the incoming Peltast.
“Hey, you’re Team D’s supervisor, if I understand well?” He nodded and replied something that was lost in the noise of the thrusters of the passing-by machine. Kara got closer and elevated her voice some more. “Okay, mind if I stick around for now? Also, I assume you already got the status report, but I’d like to share what I’ve picked up.”
As the Peltast settled in its stall, her voice adapted down to the normal noise level. “Most importantly, there has been an indirect shotgun blast from about 30 meters away; molten pieces of metal damaged the main camera, but there might be more unseen damage on the left arm, mostly.” She motioned towards the DAGGER’s legs. “Thrusters have been heavily used in upwards maneuvers, and the heels may have received some stress during the descent along the mountain. Nothing came up on my huds, though.”
The supervisor noted and checked on his pad, as he confirmed and added information on his report. “We’ll be conducting a full maintenance anyways, ma’am, but thanks for the info.” He snarkily continued. “Anything you wish to add?”
“...yeah, actually, though it’s just a little detail. The carbine was set down on the ground fairly hastily. I don’t think it’s damaged though.”
She looked over her machine and pondered briefly; it was an old machine, almost outdated. But it had potential in her eyes. Maybe she should beef up the legs first, she thought. Or maybe work on the electrical system first? However, her train of thought was quickly interrupted.
"You must be... Kara, right?"
She turned to the other pilot; they had never really talked before, had they? Myra did arrive just recently after all.
She continued. "Don't believe we've had the chance to meet. At least, not outside our machines."
Kara smiled and shook her hand. “Indeed. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of opportunities for that from now on, though. I’m sure we’ll have some time already after the meeting if you want.”
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Post by montywonty on Feb 15, 2018 22:04:16 GMT -6
The finish line had finally been reached, and Lana could barely wait to run out of the lane. A prolonged inhale synchronized with the high hiss of her cockpit opening, freeing her from her already claustrophobic control space. Not a shred of reflection was hitting Lana’s mind, for the moments of leaving her Athen was instinctual. It wasn’t until after she stuck the landing that she began to think. The lumbering machine laid up before her with modest dents on the right shoulder - a reminder of her faux pas in movement during the machine. Modest as they were, the athlete couldn’t help but tighten her jaw. The inevitability of a beginner pilot slipping was, at that moment, lost on her.
While Lana’s head was in another time, her hand still idled enough to conjure her PDA. She was tethered right back to the time stream when she saw the notification for the meeting. Already aching to make her way to the rendezvous point, the girl had just noticed the lack of familiar faces in the hanger. Just at the corner of her eye, she was able to catch Sean, Gabe, and Ernest make their exit for drinks. Too little too late. Another turn of the head in disbelief, and Kara and Myra were conversing upon themselves. The need to leave to the meeting started to spill over into the voracious need to socialize, and the potential targets began to dwindle, except for…her.
Linnea was alone now.
It was easy for Lana to summon a chipper grin, half from the call for showtime, and half in her moment of opportunism. Almost with a skip in her step, she made a straight beeline for the fellow pilot. “Lin-Lin, hey, Lin-Lin!” She beckoned to her with a hearty wave.
And almost at the same time Lana had been noting the dwindling availability of their teammates, Linnea breathed a sigh of relief, using Ernest's intervention as a means to wriggle her way out of Cinco's clutches. As decently as possible, mind you. And then... someone was yelling? She looked around herself curiously, and spotted someone headed towards her. Lin-Lin? ... oh! She got it now! It was... a nickname. Oh. Oh. That certainly needed getting used to. She approached Lana with a polite smile.
"Hello! Ah... Alaina Zaephord, right?" She wasn’t sure why she asked, honestly; she’d studied all her teammates’ biographies with her ninja info cards from public records. Unsure if she should go for the handshake or… something, she held her arms at her sides. Casually. Absolutely. 100% Casual Friday. “Did you need anything?”
“Don’t worry about that at all, Lin-Lin. Just call me Lana, yeah? My full name is for the presses.” She responded, flashing a winning grin to Linnea. Not that it was uncharacteristic of Lana, but she might as well put her game face on for the opportunity before her.
“Say, where’s your esteemed self planning on going now that we have the meeting coming up? Did you make any friends yet with our teammates?” Lana punctuated her friendly array of questions as she attempted to wrap her arm around Linnea’s shoulder, as best she could with the taller pilot.
"O-okay." Linnea nodded, pausing for a second before realizing she was expected to actually use the name. “Lana.” "I—er.” She noticed Lana trying to be… friendly? She didn’t pull away or react badly, but she just didn’t know what to do. How do you react to a near-complete stranger trying to touch you like this? Apparently the answer was to bend your knees slightly so you’re a little closer to your new acquaintance’s height, much like Linnea did right then and there. While a patronizing gesture to most, it was literally the only thing Linnea’s frazzled brain could think of doing: helping Lana do her thing. And she continued: “...I was planning on going to the meeting area early and waiting until the time came. I... don't have anything to do in the meantime, and—and... no, I haven't made any friends. It seems… inappropriate."
Lana’s beaming grin went from a trickle to a roar, tightening her grip around her poor victim. “Really? Great, me too!” Her head tilted to face Linnea, the raven-haired reveler waggling her finger. “Not inappropriate at all. When you’re thrown into a new environment, it’s crucial to get to know everyone you’re working with. More friends, more connections. And I’ll help you out with that, alright?”
The polite smile on Linnea’s face faltered. “… sure.” It was the short response of someone who didn’t really agree with what was being said, but lacked the desire and energy to have a discussion on it. Instead she resigned herself to a fate of being in the clutches of someone equally as tiring as Cinco and allowed herself to be dragged off to the bridge.
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Post by fen on Feb 16, 2018 2:00:07 GMT -6
Two hours pass.
In a section directly under the bridge lay the meeting hall: truthfully, it was directly part of the bridge. Reserved for commanding officers and the pilots they commanded, it was a shortstop before arriving at the bridge proper. The majority of the room was simply a bunch of seats, not too dissimilar to a college lecture hall, with a partially raised stage and desk located towards the back. As the pilots entered, they each took seats, until the front-most section of seating was filled up.
A handful of officers were present, though they kept to themselves, taking seats away from the pilots, whispering and occasionally bickering between each other.
Meeting commencing in 5 minutes.
The voice that echoed throughout the room was… Oddly smooth, though clearly the voice of something, not someone.
A pair of individuals entered the room, one a fairly tall man in a nice suit, and the other a lady in a slick powered wheelchair. One seemed to be focused on the group as they walked towards the back, the other was buried in thought at a tablet in their lap, clearly distracted.
The man in the suit turned towards the pilots, tightening well-fit gloves over his hands. He raised one to cover his mouth and cleared his throat to gain their attention, flashing an aloof smile.
“Good evening everyone. I see you’ve all arrived in a timely manner. After your success earlier today, it would be a shame to be forced to discipline any of you.” The threat hung like a knife over his words, warning the pilots not to take their positions for granted.
“I need not remind you of the lives we’ve lost. Instead, I’d like to congratulate you on the ones you saved: critical personnel has been recovered, and many ALA pilots survived because of your efforts. Furthermore, you accomplished all of that without significantly damaging your machines. If nothing else, you’ve spared hours upon hours of work for our mechanics.”
His praise was genuine. But to the pilots, his presence felt like a cushion to soften the blow.
“Unfortunately, you will not have time to celebrate. Captain Adamaris Cannon will brief you on the details of your next mission. Keep your wits sharp and try not to ask her to repeat herself, would you?”
The man paused, then spoke up once more. “Ah… I almost forgot. Your ranks have been adjusted to match your experience as pilots. For many of you, this means a significant promotion. Those in higher positions will maintain their title, but for procedural reasons, you will all be treated as Specialist AA Pilots from today on out.”
Beside the tall, well-dressed man was his compatriot: a uniformed lady sitting in a powered wheelchair. Her hair was a prim blonde, framing her face by just barely reaching her chin. Her eyes remained focused on the tablet in her lap, a sigh escaping her lips as she looked up at the crew before her- at this point, no doubt anyone could look over and see the variety of emblems and badges that adorned her uniform, signifying the status of ESU Navy Captain.
Her gaze jumped from pilot to pilot, her lips pursing as she fixed her gaze into a frown. For a woman of small stature, she seemed to comprise most of the presence in the room.
“Thank you, Mr. Cortaine.”
Adamaris’s voice was pinpoint, nailing her secondary right where it hurt. Her hands folded over her tablet, and her focus once more shifted back to the group.
“...As introduced, I’ll be your commanding officer while you’re stationed here on the Menaulion.”
Introductions, however, seemed to cease almost immediately as the lights faded, diverting attention to the screen the two were beside: showcasing eastern Russia and Asia.
“Currently, we are moving through the Sea of Japan. We’ll be arriving at the Sea of Ohkhotsk soon, where our next operation will begin.”
The map zoomed in on a section of eastern Russia right above Japan, before moving over to the rightmost peninsula hanging just off the continent. The city of “Sobolevo” comes up, and a few key points of their infrastructure are highlighted.
“We’ve obtained information that Martians have taken over the Sobolevo base, internally referred to as “Hare’s Breath”. This has been a key naval restructuring and restocking base for the ESU for some time now, and its strategic worth in the Northern Pacific is key to much of their Russian-front.”
Her fingers tapped along the tablet, and the screen zoomed into a military base: several hangars could be seen, as well as loading docks for several ships. ATs were positioned at a few points between buildings and paths.
“Our goal for this operation will be the destruction of these hangars and the dry docks. We have reason to believe, prior to our satellites being destroyed, that they have begun converting the dry docks to house units from their space fleet. Considering they’ve suffered damage during their attempts to pass units into orbit, this isn’t a far stretch.”
The map zoomed out, focusing on the wider area before Adamaris spoke again.
“This operation will be two-pronged, one flight will be launched from the Menaulion to assault the base. This will be occurring during the cover of night; ideally we should be hitting hard and fast, if we see a significant response, the operation would be considered a failure.”
Despite the way that sentence was phrase… It certainly sounded like their captain was being serious, her expression hiding not a trace of emotion- she stared at them hard, still, serious.
“To ensure our success, we’ll be launching another flight here, in Baykovo.”
Their view shifted downwards and off the peninsula, now focusing on a few islands just south of the peninsula. While Sobolevo was well-built, with a large base and infrastructure, Baykovo was… Smaller. Only a few military encampments could be seen, but an area for a ship docking was still present.
“Initial reports came back telling us that they may have a small forward force here that they’re preparing for a push. We’re not sure about that, but regardless, the squad launched from here will make as much noise as they can, destroying whatever they can- to hopefully incite some noise from the forces collected near the peninsula.”
Now the pilots had full view of the surrounding sea, with both Sobolevo base and Baykovo seen. Four units were placed next to each of the areas, while the words “Operation: Lucky Foot” was displayed on the top of the screen.
“Our initial flight for Baykovo will be Pilots Bernard, Roland, Zaephord, and Malkovich.” She tapped the screen, bringing up images of the Phoros, Hippokon, Spartan, and Athen. “For our assault on Sobolevo, Pilots Crwydryn, Shirdel, Fletcher, and Qureshi will deploy.”
Beside the two, a familiar bespectacled mechanic had snuck through, popping up next to the captain, giving the crew a salute. The captain simply let out a low sigh, folding her hands over her tablet once more.
“Engineer Bhoen, if you would…”
“My pleasure, Captain!”
The engineer flashed a smile, moving those goggles from his face and turning that toothy grin towards the pilots. With his own tablet in tow, he changed the screen to on detailing their AAs and the pilots that belonged to them.
“So… Baykovo Flight was chosen for maneuverability and durability. The Phoros and Hippokon are both capable of in-atmosphere flight, so they can capitalize on the open air and… Yeah. The Hippokon can carry the Spartan to the operation area, while the Athen tails behind the three underwater. The Spartan is capable of limited operation underwater, too. So long as the Hippokon engages in combat under… Say… A few hundred feet? Then the Spartan could drop into the ocean nooo problem!”
The assistant engineer tossed the group a grin, sort of… His gaze dashed between pilots, his dirty, greasy blonde bangs only helping him hide any sort of anxiety he had.
“...But, anyways, the other group has more firepower, so they can deal with any of the resistance they meet at the Sobolevo base, and likewise blow most things up! Thankfully, no one suffered any serious damage, so everyone should be able to fight a-ok.”
The engineer nodded, his tablet now being held under one arm, the other scratching the back of his head as he turned to Adamaris. “...Anyways captain, that’s the status report.”
Adamaris nodded, her gaze flitting from the tablet (once more) to the crew. “...Although ultimately your orders lie with us, for the sake of ease, two of you will be promoted to Corporal AA Pilot for field command. We’ve chosen Pilots Qureshi and Malkovich for experience and service, and I hope you all prove me right in my choice once this operation begins.”
There was silence, the captain was clearly done, and it didn’t seem like anyone else would speak up. Cain could feel some stares- both ways, and felt himself slide back into his seat juuust a bit. He did have some questions, but with the attitude of the room- the environment they had found themselves in, he wasn’t sure if he should even ask.
It wasn’t even that their captain felt incompetent, rather, it felt almost as if she didn’t really care. Plus… Adamaris Cannon? Cannon, Cannon… That sounded familiar.
“Any questions?”
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Post by montywonty on Feb 19, 2018 15:56:57 GMT -6
Captain Admaris had undoubtedly delivered the mission briefing promptly and firmly, her swift direction from map to map injecting Lana with a slurry of mild intimidation and grave respect. As if the familiar array of ESU insignias on the woman's person weren't enough. She repeated the mission as described to her in her head, over and over again, at an increasingly accelerating speed. It was at the point that all the details became tangled, only being loosened as Engineer Bhoen's demeanor retracted the pressure within the room.
The silence doesn't linger very long for her, as Lana's posture stiffens while raising her hand high. "Captain. You're suspicious of the docks been turned to storage for the Martian space fleet, right? So if that's the case, is there anything Sobolevo team should be looking for?"
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Post by fen on Feb 19, 2018 16:26:03 GMT -6
Lana's voice being the first to break the silence probably helped the atmosphere. Cain, at least, felt his shoulders unwind just a bit. There was a moment of silence, Adamaris looking at her XO and vice versa, before anyone spoke up. Engineer Bhoen shuffled in place, a look of unease on his face. Once more, it was the captain speaking.
"Potentially, at least three Gusuku-class cruisers stationed there. Intel hasn't been able to confirm, and it's likely our eyes will be the first to have the chance."
The captain's expression shifted to some of the other pilots, before returning to Zaephord's.
"Should Baykovo team meet little resistance, we may recall you to join Sobolevo's assault, but given what we know that seems unlikely."
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Linkyu
Cosmic Kiddie
aaa
Posts: 47
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Post by Linkyu on Feb 21, 2018 0:44:10 GMT -6
Kara reviewed the information she had noted on her tablet; the operation was due to start in merely 24 hours. This left very little time to prepare. She made a mental note to have a short briefing with Ernest after the meeting, if possible. At the end of her notes, a series of questions was written. She waited for Captain Adamaris to finish, then waited to see if anyone wanted to reply to this, and slightly raised her hand.
“I have a few questions, Captain. For one, what is the extent of the field command that we are to take on? I assume the detailed battle plan is up to us, but is there more detail that we should prepare for this mission?”
The captain shot her gaze towards Kara, her expression not all too different from a perched falcon gazing at a pigeon- if the falcon needed the pigeon to do things for it, that is.
“If you’d like to discuss operational procedures as a unit beforehand, go ahead. To reiterate, none of you have any control of how you approach the operation. The purpose of elevating some of you to a leadership position is purely to address minute decision making events within the field.”
“Roger that.” Kara tapped on her tablet. “Looking at the holos, I can assume we will be provided a layout of the base; do we have anything else available that we could use? I’m thinking schematics, leaked plans, documentation about a prior known breach, these kinds of things.”
The captain nodded, briefly, before tapping on her tablet- which immediately adjusted the screen beside her. The overview of both locations added focus to certain buildings- some guard towers, barracks, hangars, dry docks. The ones that were key, the hangars and dry docks, were illuminated with a bright yellow.
“The layout for the base has already been forward to your PDAs, and I’d suggest becoming familiar with it. In the event that the Menaulion becomes unable to respond to flight requests, it would be up to the flight to figure out an escape route. Unfortunately for us, this base has not seen much use outside of now, so…”
Adamaris shrugged, motioning back towards the pilots- it was clear now that it was up to them to see things through.
“I see. Lastly, though it’s tied to the previous question: are there any restrictions to know about? More exactly, in terms of weaponry, for example. Also, about potential sensitive zones, like civilian areas, explosive or fuel storages, or strategic points-- although, I guess those will be on the layout readout, if they are known at all, right?”
“Nothing too unusual,” Lieutenant Cortaine interjected. “There are a few administrative buildings here and there you’ll want to avoid, if only because they lack significant tactical advantage. As mentioned, your priority will be the destruction of Sobolevo’s hangars and dry docks.”
“Noted.” Kara checked off the last line of her list. “That’s all the questions I had.”
She leaned back in her seat and noted Captain Adamaris’ answers. Already, she worked on a battle plan, taking several possibilities into account. With a few taps, she had opened her notes on Gabe, Linnea, and Myra. She knew her capabilities and those of the DAGGER. Myra’s Peltast was no stranger to her either, but she wanted to know more about the Phalanx and Hoplite pilots. The newly-promoted pilot glanced at her teammates for this mission.
This will be some busy 24 hours, she thought.
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