ABS FIESTA REDUX

[NoZoner]

Ash looks at the soldier trembling in front of him and takes pity. Poor sod probably isn't even out of his teens, he guesses.

"... Hey," he taps the young Imperial on the shoulder, "Stay here and keep out of sight. I'm going to try luring them away."

Taking a deep breath, Ash gets out of cover and starts moving towards the side street where he recalled seeing the ignition of the SAM booster. Ark preserve me.

[Ad Bot]

[Qwepir]

"I heard the word Kobalt. What did that guy say about us?"
Jaakko keeps looking at his radar, assessing the Aesthian formation. He watches as the Imperial squadrons sweep in and close ranks with his flight.

: He said we're all with you.

"Affirmative, commander, much thanks. Falling in pursuit with the rest of the squadron."
She takes a quick pause, looking at the state of their maniple.
"Command, is there any opportunity for resupply, at all?"

: AWACS Spyglass will make a run to resupply your unit.

Ash looks at the soldier trembling in front of him and takes pity. Poor sod probably isn't even out of his teens, he guesses.

"... Hey," he taps the young Imperial on the shoulder, "Stay here and keep out of sight. I'm going to try luring them away."

Taking a deep breath, Ash gets out of cover and starts moving towards the side street where he recalled seeing the ignition of the SAM booster. Ark preserve me.

The soldier nervously glances up at you and watches you go without moving or saying a word. Even though you're certain he didn't understand your suggestion, it seems unlikely he's having any ideas to the contrary. As you start walking down the street, you are bathed in harsh white LED light.
: Hey, look! It's one of ours!

One of a handful of Aesthian airship personnel runs up alongside you.
: We just got out of our escape pod when we heard gunshots this way, where's the fight at? You okay, man? You look a little out of it.

[ZombiLoin]

: AWACS Spyglass will make a run to resupply your unit.

"Copy, commander. Vansei Gutiskerei."

She eases back in her seat, thankful for the brief respite from pitched combat.

[NoZoner]

: We just got out of our escape pod when we heard gunshots this way, where's the fight at? You okay, man? You look a little out of it.

Ash lets out a sigh of relief.

"I'm... alright," He trails off before picking back up, "Holy stuff, I never thought I'd see another friendly face ever again. I don't know exactly where the gunshots came from, but my guess was probably from over there," Ash turns around and points to the side street. He motions for the airship personnel follow him as he walks there and presses himself flat against the corner.

[Qwepir]

Shortsword's wing receives another transmission:
: Kobalt flight, this is AWACS Oracle, descending from Angels twenty for priority one resupply. Reduce airspeed to 350 knots and allow us to overtake if you require munitions.


The stars above Skytracer's group go dark as the jet black support plane flies overhead.
: AWACS Spyglass, reporting for resupply op.

Ash lets out a sigh of relief.

"I'm... alright," He trails off before picking back up, "Holy stuff, I never thought I'd see another friendly face ever again. I don't know exactly where the gunshots came from, but my guess was probably from over there," Ash turns around and points to the side street. He motions for the airship personnel follow him as he walks there and presses himself flat against the corner.

The crewmembers, all five of them, turn off the flashlight attachments on their weapons to avoid giving their position away as they follow you. One of them briefly peeks around the corner.
: Can't see stuff. I hear an engine though.

[NoZoner]

: Can't see stuff. I hear an engine though.

"I saw a missile launch down this street not too long ago. Went in to take a closer look, and that's when they started firing bullets. Pretty sure that's a SAM battery they have down there..."

Ash trails off again and takes a deep breath to appear as if he's collecting himself.

"... I'm going to try to sabotage it."

[Qwepir]

"I saw a missile launch down this street not too long ago. Went in to take a closer look, and that's when they started firing bullets. Pretty sure that's a SAM battery they have down there..."

Ash trails off again and takes a deep breath to appear as if he's collecting himself.

"... I'm going to try to sabotage it."

: Pfft. You? With what, your survival knife?

[NoZoner]

Ash clenches his knife handle and strums it for effect.

"With what I have in mind, a survival knife might be enough. It's sharp enough to sever a couple electrical or hydraulic lines. That'll take it out of commission."

"Maybe that sounds a little far fetched," he admits, "But I'll take any chance I can to get back at these sons of bitches."

[Qwepir]

Ash clenches his knife handle and strums it for effect.

"With what I have in mind, a survival knife might be enough. It's sharp enough to sever a couple electrical or hydraulic lines. That's enough to take it out of commission.

"Maybe that sounds a little far fetched," he admits, "But I'll take any chance I can to get back at these sons of bitches."

The point man peeks around the corner again.
: You know there's gonna be like, guys manning the thing right?

[NoZoner]

"I'll deal with them one way or another." Ash takes a moment to peak around the corner. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't planning on making it back."

[Qwepir]

"I'll deal with them one way or another." Ash takes a moment to peak around the corner. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't planning on making it back."

: What are you, forgetin' stupid? No. Here's what you're gonna do. Get closer, see if you can get a head count, then come back to us and tell us what you saw. Then we can get a better idea of if this is a fight we even want to pick. None of us want to rot away in an imp POW camp, but I for one am not about to piss my life away. Here-

He hands you his sidearm, but no extra magazine.
: Things go tits up? Just start shooting and we'll come out swinging.

[NoZoner]

Ash takes the pistol in hand.

"... You know, my whole flight was shot down. No-one else ejected but me. I was so loving bent on tearing up any imp I saw I-," Ash trails off again and sighs, "Well, point is I'm glad you guys showed up and smacked some sense into me. Like really, thanks." He puts the gun in his holster and takes another deep breath. "I'll do what I can to scout the place out."

Ash peers around the corner once more to make sure the coast is clear. "Alright, wish me luck," He moves out and down the street, careful to keep his silhouette concealed.

Holy stuff, this might actually work.

[Qwepir]

Ash takes the pistol in hand.

"... You know, my whole flight was shot down. No-one else ejected but me. I was so loving bent on tearing up any imp I saw I-," Ash trails off again and sighs, "Well, point is I'm glad you guys showed up and smacked some sense into me. Like really, thanks." He puts the gun in his holster and takes another deep breath. "I'll do what I can to scout the place out."

Ash peers around the corner once more to make sure the coast is clear. "Alright, wish me luck," He moves out and down the street, careful to keep his silhouette concealed.

Holy stuff, this might actually work.

You get closer and closer to the grumbling sound of an engine, making use of the sturdy concrete streetlamp bases as concealment. As you hunker down behind cover about a hundred feet from the corner, you hear a voice shouting, followed by a rocket engine igniting. The glow of the exhaust bathes the street in light, allowing you a few brief moments of clarity before it streaks into the distance and leaves you in darkness again. While the street was illuminated, you saw:
-A trailer-mounted SAM launcher, pointed down the street towards you.
-Two soldiers in cover in front of the truck, dressed similarly to the young man you saw earlier.
-An armored, tracked AAA vehicle, hatch open and commander sitting exposed.
-A soldier on the sidewalk less than ten feet away who would have certainly seen you if he wasn't watching the missile instead.

[NoZoner]

forget, that was close!

Ash gulps and exhales while taking off his helmet. He calms himself down and decides trying to call the soldier directly in front of him.

"Help! Help!," He cries, keeping his voice hushed.

[Qwepir]

forget, that was close!

Ash takes off his helmet. He calms himself down and decides trying to call the soldier directly in front of him.

"Help! Help!," He cries, keeping his voice hushed.

: [What the-]

The soldier wheels around and steps towards you until you feel the cold metal barrel of his rifle press against your forehead.
: [Hey, you! Don't move!]