ABS FIESTA REDUX

[Mr. Hurricane]

"We can't afford to stay if they escalate, we won't survive another round of drones. We've already lost two pilots, we can't afford two or three more,"

Jaakko's body feels heavy, and the weight of the dilemma at hand does nothing to help him relax.

[Ad Bot]

[Badger]

Walter slumps to the side of his roosterpit and steadies his breathing a bit more, he starts to sweat profusely around his collar and neck as he recovers from the shock of being hit. He feels tired and strained as he flies his question not being answered he pipes up again, this time more affirmative.

"AWACS, repeat, I need coordinates for an airfield I can land at."

He checks his own chest to asses the damage done, as he continues on away from the battle.

[Qwepir]

Jaakko smacks himself for trying to talk to Raiden over Mjolnir comms.

"What are you planning?" Jaakko asks.

: We're staying to recover Matsumoto.
: What more could I possibly say to convince you that this is a stupid idea?

"We can't afford to stay if they escalate, we won't survive another round of drones. We've already lost two pilots, we can't afford two or three more,"
Jaakko's body feels heavy, and the weight of the dilemma at hand does nothing to help him relax.

: Thank you, Major.

Walter slumps to the side of his roosterpit and steadies his breathing a bit more, he starts to sweat profusely around his collar and neck as he recovers from the shock of being hit. He feels tired and strained as he flies his question not being answered he pipes up again, this time more affirmative.
"AWACS, repeat, I need coordinates for an airfield I can land at."
He checks his own chest to asses the damage done, as he continues on away from the battle.

The AWACS directs you to Svirask International.

[Tayasaurus]

"I could stay and try and go after her..."

[NoZoner]

"[Ugh, forget it. That's enough for today.]"

Lorens shuts the softcover text and flicks it onto the table. He leans the chair back, supports his head with his hands and stares at the ceiling. Unsure of what to do, his mind idly drifts about. He eventually recalls something one of the officers told him the other debriefing, a few fortnights ago.

"[...] Combat efficiency was next to zero. The only saving grace for your performance was your cooperation in taking down the interdictor, but even that was lackluster. And after taking into account the damage done to the Falcon and the fact that you might've died and lost the aircraft were it not for Captain Faw's intervetion, it's clear your involvement in this operation made for one hell of a goat rope."

Lorens remains standing, silent. The officer senses his agitation and decides it's time to conclude the matter.

"I know your decision to sortie hinged on the fact that we were down a few pilots, but for godssakes, stick to your damn training. We've already lost enough good pilots, we don't need to lose any more. You're dismissed. Get some rest and think about what you've done."

Lorens closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose in between his knuckle and thumb. He tries to dispel the memory. Growing restless, he gets up from his chair and leaves his quarters, wandering the base in search of something to do.

[Hah. A close air support pilot in a strategic fighter wing. Mjolnir no less. What the hell would Ash think?]

While entertaining the thought, Lorens happens upon the office of the Djuriskas CO. He reads the etched lettering of the nameplate. Lieutenant Colonel Rikard Zolnerowich. Lorens blinks for a moment, remembering something. With a little trepidation, he knocks on the door.

[Mr. Hurricane]

The weight of the decision burns itself in Jaakko's gut. He feels short of breath, as of the cool oxygen delivered through the mask isn't enough air.

"The AWACS is out of ordnance, we're running out of flares, several of us are out-"

Jaakko takes a breath and grits his teeth, looking around the roosterpit, praying no stealth fighters are preparing to jump them.

"Gods' damnit I hate this!" he growls.

He looks to his radar then at his RWR and back around the roosterpit.

"We won't survive another round of drone-bombers without more losses, and once we're committed to a fight it's going to be a gods' damned bloodbath if we try to pull away! Gods forbid CSAR gets jumped and shot down. I hate this so much but I don't see a way out of this that will get Yamato back and not incur any more losses on our side,"

Jaakko continues scanning, becoming paranoid as the squadrons become indecisive.

"Before we get jumped by some stealth fighters and committed to a fight on their terms,"

He begins climbing, still scanning.

[Qwepir]

The weight of the decision burns itself in Jaakko's gut. He feels short of breath, as of the cool oxygen delivered through the mask isn't enough air.

"The AWACS is out of ordnance, we're running out of flares, several of us are out-"

Jaakko takes a breath and grits his teeth, looking around the roosterpit, praying no stealth fighters are preparing to jump them.

"Gods' damnit I hate this!" he growls.

He looks to his radar then at his RWR and back around the roosterpit.

"We won't survive another round of drone-bombers without more losses, and once we're committed to a fight it's going to be a gods' damned bloodbath if we try to pull away! Gods forbid CSAR gets jumped and shot down. I hate this so much but I don't see a way out of this that will get Yamato back and not incur any more losses on our side,"

Jaakko continues scanning, becoming paranoid as the squadrons become indecisive.

"Before we get jumped by some stealth fighters and committed to a fight on their terms,"

He begins climbing, still scanning.

: So that's it? You're just leaving?

While entertaining the thought, Lorens happens upon the office of the Djuriskas CO. He reads the etched lettering of the nameplate. Lieutenant Colonel Rikard Zolnerowich. Lorens blinks for a moment, remembering something. With a little trepidation, he knocks on the door.

: Come in.

[Tayasaurus]

"I think we should stay. If we all combine our resources together and stay relatively close to each other we might have just enough to see this through."

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko is reminded of his squadron during Taiton. He grits his teeth.

"If I were Izzy I'd be frothing at the mouth to get a chance at Mjolnir and Raiden while they are indecisive and wounded! Staying is playing into their hands! They'd love to bleed all of us right here! We can't stay- I'm sorry. We can't risk losing two or three or four more pilots just for an attempt to save one. We can't play into their hands,"

Jaakko feels as if he is being choked.

"Mjolnir, let's go before Izzy takes advantage of us-" he orders.

"-And Raiden, don't stay, please, Izzy would give anything to have a field day with our squadrons. Don't let them have it," he pleads.

Inside though, Jaakko feels crushed, he knows there is no good answer, certainly no comfortable answer. He figures that he has consigned himself to be hated by the Kintharians until long after the war is over. Just what he needs, he figures, to make more people, and likely his entire squadron resent him.

[Qwepir]

Jaakko is reminded of his squadron during Taiton. He grits his teeth.

"If I were Izzy I'd be frothing at the mouth to get a chance at Mjolnir and Raiden while they are indecisive and wounded! Staying is playing into their hands! They'd love to bleed all of us right here! We can't stay- I'm sorry. We can't risk losing two or three or four more pilots just for an attempt to save one. We can't play into their hands,"

Jaakko feels as if he is being choked.

"Mjolnir, let's go before Izzy takes advantage of us-" he orders.

"-And Raiden, don't stay, please, Izzy would give anything to have a field day with our squadrons. Don't let them have it," he pleads.

Inside though, Jaakko feels crushed, he knows there is no good answer, certainly no comfortable answer. He figures that he has consigned himself to be hated by the Kintharians until long after the war is over. Just what he needs, he figures, to make more people, and likely his entire squadron resent him.

: You cannot be serious!
: Major Yamashiro, there is no way we could hold out against an attack by ourselves. If Mjolnir is returning to base, we need to as well.
: Alright, fine, we're leaving! [Bastard!]

[Tayasaurus]

"This is bullstuff. They killed Roger and now we're leaving Matsumoto!"

[Gojira]

markus's willpower 33
leaving someone behind adds no bonus or penalty
test taken at 33
roll: 26
result: markus gets over himself
Markus shakes with anger, using most of his willpower to keep from slamming his fist on the canopy and screaming into an open microphone. After a few moments, he calms down and stops shaking, trying to get his breathing under control.

[Operator¹]

wow college makes you miss everything

[Qwepir]

It's a long, silently judgmental flight back to base, but Raiden does not frag Crash at any point. Everyone sets down in mid-evening, with Walt arriving shortly after and being rushed to the medical wing.

[Tayasaurus]

Tippy exits the hangar rubbing her temples trying to contain her frustration.

"Great. Just loving great. Lost Roger and now probably Matsumoto." She grumbles to herself, desperately wanting to scream into a pillow.