ABS FIESTA REDUX

[CypherX]

"Two in Kronovostok alone," Gus says grimly.

"Maybe, maybe not. Ilona lost her leg in the Delta, but Kintharian prosthetics work nearly as well as the real thing, if not better. But I don't know if that is even an option. When we land I suppose I'll ask."

He clears his throat.

"Raiden doesn't know about Yui's death either. Another thing to mention."

[Ad Bot]

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko returns to the carrier in bitter silence. His aircraft is recovered and pulled into the hangar, and Jaakko takes his time to get out of his aircraft, the weight of the events seeming to cause great fatigue within him. He clambers out of the MiG and takes his helmet off, despite his wish to disappear. He finds Bell looking around the hangar.

[Operator¹]

Bell sees Jaakko and approaches him.

: There wasn't anything else that could've been done about the plane, they clearly wanted to go down either way. I hope we can get some payback for those passengers soon. Get some rest Jaakko.

[mattsos]

removed for now

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko wants to pour his heart out but bites his tongue. He feels immediately that between his harsh opinions and Bell's relation as his superior would make it inappropriate. He searches for words, and nods.

"I understand. Hopefully this kind of thing won't happen again,"

There's grief in his voice.

[carolcat]

Cualli takes Elu and heads to the rec room.

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko alternates between shock and anguish while he cleans up. Rather absentmindedly, he shows up in the rec room. His expression is contorted with anger as he scans the room. He finds Cualli, and gives her a venomous glance. Despite this, Jaakko resists the sudden erge to grind his teeth by some reasonable part of him making the distinction between good and bad Deltans.

He finds a seat nearby and makes a point of not looking at anyone. His position shifts back and fourth between holding his head in his hands and hunched over the end of his seat.

[CypherX]

A few doctors and nurses begin making their way towards the group, a few of them stopping at Ellie's bed. A pair of nurses look between him and Lorens, and he steps aside, realizing he must be in the way.

"I don't want to hold up the staff here any longer, so I'll catch you guys later. Hopefully you'll be out and good to go before long."

Gus lingers for a moment longer before leaving and heading to the rec room. Jaakko's depressed demeanour sticks out, so Gus heads over towards him and taps him on the shoulder.

"Hey, how'd it go? What did they have you scramble for on such short notice? I didn't hear."

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko sanitizes his words.

"An airline was hijacked and it started heading this way. It was hijacked by Deltans, and we were forced to shoot it down. Hell, they wanted us to shoot it down," Jaakko replies curtly in a harsh tone.

[CypherX]

Gus is stunned and takes a moment to reply.

"Oh," he says simply. The campaign in Kronovostok and then this. He shakes his head in disbelief as Jaakko looks on, no doubt furious. Old memories of his thoughts on the Deltans come to mind, which causes him to start again.

"Who knows? And how long before every news organisation on the continent is broadcasting this?"

His gaze settles on Cualli briefly.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"Who loving knows," Jaakko slips.

He stares at a coffee table in front of him for a few moments before focusing his attention elsewhere and continuing.

"I tried to shoot out the engines to force it down but they just drove the thing into the ground anyway."

[CypherX]

"There was nothing you could do. They were going to crash it into the ground or into something with more people. What is done is done."

The thought of it causes Gus to clench his fists. A senseless waste of lives in revenge for a dead empire.

"Jaakko," Gus starts again, "we are in a huge metal disk thousands of feet in the air. The crew hasn't seen land for weeks."

He pauses again to let Jaakko absorb what he's saying.

"We aren't the most level headed people."

[Mr. Hurricane]

Apparently Deltans aren't the most level headed people either.

"I know this. I know that nothing can or really could have been changed, I'm not angry because something could have been different, or I know I shouldn't be. I'm angry— It's the nature of the situation, I don't know how else to explain it. Gods damn them. A worthless loving people,"

Jaakko swallows the rest of his words as logic stops him from communicating his vitriolic feelings. He remembers a conversation with Coaxoch regarding the origins of this war, but Coaxoch's claims against the GTO's claims merely serve to confuse his feelings of regarding the Deltans all the while bitter resentment continues to burn a hole in his stomach regardless of how much he thinks about there being good Deltans and bad Deltans.

After a few seconds he draws together another sentence.

"I don't believe being in this stupid loving carrier has had any affect on how I feel about all this. There was another guy too. A Foxbat from some land base somewhere was with me. He seemed to feel the same way from what few comments he made after the airliner crashed,"

Jaakko finds he can't remember the exact comments of the other pilot. He wishes that his dogs were by his side as a distraction.

[CypherX]

"That was not my point," Gus responds in a dry monotone. He narrows his eyes.

"There will be a time for mourning the lost when we land. We have more pressing concerns, such as assuring one of our own isn't retaliated against for this. You can help, or I will do it myself, Major."

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko glances at Cualli, still looking displeased.

"Oh, that's what you meant,"

Despite his upset tone there is a hint of sincere understanding. He nods.

"Yeah. Landing is a good time for everybody to get their thoughts in order," he comments.

He looks to Gus for once.

"And I'll help watch over Cualli as well," he says quietly.