Episode 12 - Operation Apollo

[EfreetCustom]

Alex knowing he will surely die if he ventures back to the battle with such a damaged suit heads back to the Herakles.

"Mobile Suit bay open up, Ensign Alex Lepak returning, my suit is badly damaged and i can't continue fighting in my condition."

The big bay door opens and Alex as neatly as possible flys his wrecked Hizack into the hanger.

[Fritz Ashlyn]

- Fritz -

"C-Celeine? Bella?"

The striped Hizack suddenly halted its advance. Fritz was momentarily distracted by another beam from somewhere in the battle, and he put his Rick Dias on its side to let it fly overhead. He turned back to Nick and continued, “Nick, Celeine is with us, and she’s worried about you,”.

He was interrupted by a voice that was mangled by the radio and yet strangely familiar, "Lt. Te'litha!" he roared, "What in God's name are you doing!? Kill him or get out of the way and let me kill him!”. Fritz spun his Rick Dias in the Marasai’s direction but continued talking to Te’litha, “I have no reason to continue fighting you, Nick. There are still people who care about your physical and mental well-being,”. He raised his bazooka at the Marasai and continued, “...but as for YOU, Ritter,” he growled, “I’m going to send your father a message by killing you personally. You can tell him Ashlyn finally realized he’s a liar!”. At that he fired a bazooka round at Wolf’s Marasai while giving up some ground so he would have a better chance of avoiding his probable retaliation with that beam launcher of his.

- Von Braun Duo -

The team leader was distracted for a split second as Stukov bore down on him, and that’s all it took. The Russian’s beam saber cleaved into his Nemo’s body, hacking the mobile suit nearly in half before it keeled over backwards and was consumed by fuel explosions. Luckily for Stukov and the dead man’s wingman, the reactor didn’t blow. The remaining Von Braun pilot nearly choked on his chewing gum when he realized what had happened and how close the enemy was, but he managed to spin on his heels and draw a beam saber. He took a clumsy hack at Stukov.

- Ltjg. Abendroth -

"Alright, fellas," announced Dieguez, "Now we get to see some action. Get your shooters and launchers ready to roll,”. Abendroth checked his ammo display one last time before rocketing away from the Buxoro after his team leader. “I’m on your six, sir. Let’s go get them!”

- The Hamburg -
- Bridge -

André stood at the banks of system monitors clucking at the bad readings the ship was showing. He finally huffed a sigh and ordered, “Slow us again until we’re nearer to the center of the formation. ...we’re going to need repairs after this...”

[Bezerker]

"Nick, Nick whats going on?" Dante asked after he noticed the Hizack had stopped moving and stopped the attack. After a little bit the rookie in Gamma took a shot at one of the Dias. "Be careful around those new suits, they are very dangerous, and we don't have that much data on their capabilities" Dante said as he boosted towards Nick's Suit. "Nick!, get your mind right, we are in the midst of battle, you are still in danger out here" Dante said as he drew his beam saber, watching for any AEUG that came close to Nick's Hizack.

[Gambit01]

“Nick, Celeine is with us, and she’s worried about you,”.

He was interrupted by a voice that was mangled by the radio and yet strangely familiar, "Lt. Te'litha!" he roared, "What in God's name are you doing!? Kill him or get out of the way and let me kill him!”

The Dias spun around to intercept Ritter, leaving Nick alone with his own thoughts.

“I have no reason to continue fighting you, Nick. There are still people who care about your physical and mental well-being."

Nick couldn't breathe; ripping his helmet off, he grabbed his head between his hands as he forced himself to take deep breathes.

Images of a happier couple and another woman floated threw his mind; rather then serving to calm him, all it did was increase the rate of his breathing, making Nick more and more agitated.

"Nick, Nick whats going on?"

A familiar voice snapped him out of his funk.

Dante

"Nick!, get your mind right, we are in the midst of battle, you are still in danger out here."

"Dan...te?"

Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath before releasing it.

When he opened his eyes, they were blazed with determination.

"I know that, Dante," Nick replied, though in a way that could be inturpretetd as a 'thank you'.

With that, he charged towards Fritz.

"Gamma, stay back; this is my fight."

With that, Nick flew in, aiming a kick at the Dias' unprotected back.

[Ascension]

((Cardi, I have the feeling you're trying to punish Jim for attacking your flagship...))

-Jim vs. Kalinin Team (and now apparently Alpha Team)

Jim quickly assessed the situation. It looked like the Marasai and two of the Hizacks were boosting above him... but from opposite sides... The other Hizack looked like it was simply going to start firing without moving, but it was using a machinegun against Gundarium Gamma. It was insignifigant. The other three were a much greater threat.

He boosted directly upwards, turning to face Stokes and Runnels. He needed to kill off the beam rifle wielders first, then he would be able to deal with the machinegunners at his leisure. The beam rifle wielding Hizack would be easier to kill than the Marasai, so he decided to focus on it first.

As he rose he danced around Runnels' beam and fired off two more shots from his clay bazooka in Runnels' direction. He spammed his backpack-mounted beam pistols in the hopes that they would discourage the Marasai from approaching him from behind while he fought the beam-rifle wielding Hizack. Machinegun fire pinged off of his armor, but he tried to ignore it. Focus on the beam rifles...

"Four Titans against me... Hah! They ought to bring in a couple more friends and at least try to even up the odds..."

Just then three beam rifle shots came out of nowhere. Through sheer luck, two went wide and the third only grazed Jim's left shoulder. The warped shoulder armor severely limited the movement of the joint, but the rest of the arm remained functional. Jim spotted the new threat just in time to avoid a beam launcher beam.

"Oh jeeze... Be careful what you wish for... Two 'sais, three 'zacks, and a Hiding 'zack... more fun than a barrel of monkeys.."

Jim decided to try a new tactic. Cowardice. He boosted towards the AEUG fleet as quickly as possible, dodging and weaving to try to avoid any fire from his army of opponents. He would find some support and then he would come back with a vengeance and destroy all the Titans. Yeah, that's what he would do.

- Caroline Tucker vs. Stukov

Caroline mirrored Jonas's move, boosting forward with him and firing on Stukov with him. She actually pulled it off! Like, without faceplanting in the lunar soil or anything! Well, okay, her aim might have been a little off... but she was compensating for the fact that he was likely to try to dodge Jonas's shot! Yeah, that's what she was doing!

[wonton bob]

Jason has no time to wonder why two Marasais are nearby and not assisting nor does he have time to get a good look at the Rick Dias. As soon as the sabers meet he puts his thrusters on full to push back the Dias. Miller's voice pops on the comm. "Sir, wh.. are .. orders?"

"KILL!" Jason roars.

With him in such a fury only eradicating his enemy will soothe his rage. The Hizack's right arm swings hard onto the Dias. It can't grab but it can still make contact. He wishes to look his enemy in the eye before the kill. A ritual he's done before when attacking spacenoids in person. On a small part of the monitor the visuals come on line. " A woman-"

Jason's rage evaporates when he sees that his enemy is a female pilot. He's never killed a woman before but he knew this might occur someday. In his mind he struggles with the fact that she IS an enemy. Tears still run down his face as he decides to take the next step as he is a Titan now. He will ask for forgiveness later.

"..my family..you murderer!" Jason declares as he hopefully tries to grab a firm hold with the Hizack's damaged right hand praying Miller would come and finish the job.

[The Big Zabowski]

-Gela Actual-
-Norman Applegate and Alfred Izuruha-

"Oh, will ya look what Rich went and done. Fat lot of good he turned out to be.."

The bland comment from Norman was quipped from a communication out of Al's Nemo.

"Sir, with all due respect...you're probably right. I dunno where they found him, but he's turning out to be a bust rather than a prospect as a leader."

Norman tilted his Nemo's head toward Al's, who was off to his right on the starboard side of the Gela's bridge.

"Well, we won't know for sure until we get all the facts, kiddo..But the judge'll still be out on that one for a while. Looks like the Titans went apes**it on his Nemo."

With that, he nodded his Nemo's head toward the fray around the Hamburg

"Looks like ol' Loweno needs some help out there. And with Rich down for the count, I'd say that the need for us to protect the Gela on the rear isn't of prime concern. I'm sure the captain would agree...so.."

Without another word, Norman fired up his Nemo's combat computers and kicked his thrusters to full, jamming the pedals down almost past the 180 degree mark and probably doing some damage to the joints. His Nemo quite literally spat a blue rooster-tail of exhaust as he launched forward into the rear of the Hamburg, which was now starting was seemed to be a descent into a crater on the Lunar surface.

Al, on the other hand, could only bite his lip in disapproval at the break in the command chain and started after the now de-facto Gela Commander, rolling out to avoid a few stray shots from the Gela's guns that he managed to wander into as he left his "post". In the back of his mind, though, Al still wondered if the Lieutenant was alright. He may have been a doofus of a commander..but he was their commander, and did deserve some form of respect.

As he flew into gunning range of the Marasai' attacking the Hamburg, he saw that the Dervish's three remaining Dias had taken care of, or for the most part occupied the assaulting Titan force. With a whack of his shield to Norman's foot, Al opened a communications link.

"Sir, I think the Dias from the Dervish may have it handled on the Hamburg. Adding us to the fray might do more harm than good."

Little did he know that those words might save them from the fate Richard succumbed to while he served in the Hamburg's airspace.

"Well, then what do you think we should do, kid.."

Al blinked at the question. Was his superior officer asking HIM what to do? Was it a joke? Was he just being an arse? Or was he testing him? At the moment he really didn't have time to think why Norman said such a thing, and simply made his suggestion.

"I think we should go after the one of the Titan's Sally Kai's...and aren't my sensors are picking up something of interest. We've got a straggler 'zack heading back home. Easy kill? I-I mean I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think that-"

"Already there, Kid!"

Again, Al blinked in confusion.

"Wha-..H-hey, wait sir!"

With that, the Two Nemo's began an assault run on the Herakles, Titties and Ayoogers be damned. As the bay doors began to close on the Herakles behind Lepak, Alfred let loose a volley of three shots toward the door, hoping to light up the hangar from above.

Norman on the other hand began picking off the mega particle cannons on the port and starboard sides of the Sally Kai. This way, he hoped that they'd be too concentrated on damage control to bring up a fully effective AA barrage outside of some MGs and ak-ak.

[Wedge14]

Pan finished off his smoke quickly, butting out on the console, he flicked the butt away coughing slightly as he put his helmet back on. He made contact with Chabreux's nemo.

"We have enough propellant to haul ourselves out to Team 2 position...they're taking down that Sally....move out!!"

Pan's nemo and the young ensign's pushed off the lunar surface and rocketed forwards zig zag through the combat zone as they attempted to get to team 2's position and avoid any threats.

[Cybaster]

(If I missed anybody's attack, don't fret. I'll add them in as I notice them.)

"Non! Not today!"

This time, having moved upwards and away while Gilliarme was likewise winging over backwards just then, Celeste's Rick Dias was too far away for her shell to catch Gilliarme even at the optimal detonation range. Although close, the spray of pellets that erupted from the fired shell simply passed underneath Gilliarme's Marasai harmlessly. Jack's Beam Pistol shot, however, was a different story, and would've hit had Gilliarme not decided to launch his next attack at him likewise with his own Beam Rifle. As Jack fired, so did Gilliarme, his Marasai twisting with his right side pointed at Jack's Rick Dias and letting loose a single stream of yellow particle fire at that direction.

Gilliarme's own attack at the Rick Dias' head would not hit Jack at all --- but likewise the sharp reduction of target area as his Marasai turned saved him from Jack's own attack, the beam meant for his Marasai's cockpit passing by the rear of the Marasai's torso (where the cockpit would've been had the Marasai not turned).

"Lieutenant Yamamoto, we definitely should fall back a little more..." Gilliarme frowned. There was no need to remain that upfront any longer, and at the current position the Rick Dias were beginning to surround them.

As he winged over again while drifting for a little while at the left, firing off another burst of vulcan fire at Celeste to keep her at bay (and hopefully away from Shin), his next attention was on Clute as he moved in to attack Samantha again; His Marasai zigzagging and rolling in a small circle clockwise, he fired his vulcans again as he neared, emptying half of its maximum capacity at the Rick Dias' Clay Bazooka (of which Gilliarme was seriously becoming annoyed at) just as, suddenly rolling counterclockwise again as he drew near, he brought his Marasai into a spinning whirl towards the back of Clute's Rick Dias and --- in an attempt to overshoot him, hence forcing Celeste to quit using her Clay Bazooka lest her pellet attacks damage Clute as well --- followed through the whirl into a simple, quickened Beam Saber slash towards the rear binders and Beam Pistols...

[ORegan]

Miller hears the order to kill, and boots himself towards his commander to take out the closet threat to him, one that is dead locked with him. He boosts so that his mobile suit is above, but also slanted to get a good view. (something like this \ _ . just tilt you head to the left in a 90 degree angle. I'm the slanting one. Jason isn't. look how funny you look now)

He aims his machine gun at the head of the mobile suit(if head is off then just the upper torso, above the cockpit so it wont kill the pilot from fire.) He fires 5 rounds at the mobile suit.

[Psyden]

Unfortunately for our brave Delta Team Commander, his attempt to stab Clute in the back only results in the near point black firing of both of the beam pistols as Clute uses the Rick Dias’ more powerful thrusters to simply boost out of Gilliarme’s reach. But that’s not all. Once the beam pistols have ceased firing (each barked thrice), he rolls his suit to fire his clay bazooka before taking the beam saber into his suit’s left hand and firing his 55mm Phalanx.

Since one of the Marasai sees fit to abandon his teammate and go after her team commander, she decides to go after the as of yet unengaged Marasai (Shin). After closing range to effective case shot range, she fires another round and readies her beam saber in her left hand.

The beam shot from Gilliarme misses as the team’s designated marksmen descends and rockets towards Ens-- Lt. JG Markado, though he’ll be luck if he doesn’t get busted down a rank for this little stunt…

[King Monkey]

Jacob hoped that the Titans would see reason and retreat as their commanders flares had ordered them to. That didn't seem to be the case as one Marasai fired at him and another pulled a rather intricate beam saber attack on Clute.

"Just get out of here you rabid dogs!" he shouts, though the descending Jack David will probably be the only one to hear it. He boosts to the side, swinging his bazooka out of the way of the incoming beam shot just in time to save it from being destroyed.

Celeste has engaged the Mobile Suit who fired on him and Clute was fending off the Marasai that tried to kill him but that still left one enemy suit. And it would be just like a Titan to try to shoot Markado's commanding officer in the back while he was concentrating on another enemy.

"I'm going to help the lieutenant, sir!" he radios to Jack before boosting towards the Marasai that scattered Team 3 earlier. He snaps off two shots from his beam pistol before taking aim and squeezing the trigger on his Clay Bazooka at the Mobile Suit. (Samantha's.)

[Cybaster]

Having slashed at Clute rather than stab at him, and with the true intent of the manuever being to pin Celeste's current attack tactics down, all Clute's sudden pushing away from Gilliarme served was to allow Gilliarme to overshoot him --- upon which, avoiding Clute's rear Beam Pistol attacks with only relative ease as his attention was being divided between him and Samantha, and continuing his Marasai's counter-clockwise roll for a moment as he swung around enabled him to avoid the majority of Clute's 55mm phalanx shots, the few that did find their way onto his Marasai slamming harmlessly into its armshield.

Stopping his roll and winging over while sliding right, Gilliarme then counters in kind from his current position behind Clute and in front of Celeste, firing two Beam shots each at the two Rick Diases, Clute's first towards the legs, then Celeste's --- without reservation at all --- towards her Rick Dias' torso. He hoped Shin got his message; he honestly hoped Shin wouldn't get himself surrounded while he still had the chance to back away.

And all in all, if there were no orders, Gilliarme didn't relish having to use his rank to get his wingmen to pull back. He considered the option a last resort, verily.

[Cardi Doorl]

OOC: Still typing up and RP for the Main Formation stuff

IC:
Kirov/Hamburg Vicinity

- Alexandria-class Kirov -
- Combat Bridge -

The Kirov and Herakles had nearly fully returned to the main formation when Fyodor cried out with a new development.

"We're receiving a long-distance contact from the Dogosse Gier of Daningan's fleet, sir!"

"The Dogosse Gier?" mused Trent with a raised eyebrow, "I thought the Alexandria was acting as his flagship... Well, never mind that. Bring it up."

Fyodor did just that. A video-less transmission came crackling into the bridge, the voice, when not marred by static, was smooth in an almost unnerving way.

"This is Lieu*kkht*ant Paptimus Scirocco of the Titan *fzzzht* fleet to all autonomous raid*zzzht* -skforces. We have secured the primary objec*zzzt* Taskforces are authorized to resu*kkht* autonomous opera*zzht* immediately." The transmission cut off abruptly at that point.

"That man isn't in charge of this operation," huffed the Commodore, "Regardless of Daningan's ineptitude."

"Something may have happened to the Alexandria," proposed Trent, "But in any case, it's safe to say we're clear to move as we please again."

"What's your move then, Commander?" questioned Ritter.

"Get the hell out of Dodge," replied Trent easily. Then, as an order to his bridge crew, "Send up flares. Our job here is done; I want all units to withdraw from the Lunar surface, starting with the warships. Suit teams are to do their jobs and cover their retreat. Let's move it."

The flares went up just as the Kirov began to reorient its angle to escape Luna.

- Kalinin Team -

Bate weaved around the Rick Dias' backpack pistol shots - seemingly fired at random - to get in closer to his foe, but suddenly the red machine dashed away. Bate realized quickly that more friendlies had come in: a Marasai and a Hizack Custom. No wonder the Rick Dias had opted to get away rather than wait to be swamped.

"Kalinin Team, don't bother to pursue," he commanded, "Status report."

"Runnels here. Took some hits from his bazooka a sec ago, but I'm fine overall."

"Stokes. I'm fine."

"Cranston here. I'm in pretty bad shape. The left arm just locked up and some of my verniers are out."

"Cranston," intoned Bate, "Get back to the Kalinin. The rest of us, cover the ships as the fall back. Stay close to the Kirov and Herakles."


- Alpha Team -

Mercedes furrowed her brow and brought her beam rifle around to track the fleeing target. She fired twice at the withdrawing Jim, and was about to give chase when Leandro's Hizack Custom grasped her Marasai's shoulder.

"Forget about it, girlie," murmured Leandro, "We've got orders to get out."

"Don't order me around," snapped Mercedes, though in the end she didn't pursue and fell back to screen the withdrawing Kirov.

- Delta Team -

Samantha rolled downward toward the moon's surface to let Clute's bazooka shots soar above her. In any case, Clute soon found himself occupied with Gilliarme rather than Samantha, but Jacob was quick to fill in. With Samantha already in the throes of maneuvering, she was able to evade her opponent's opening beam pistol shots by adjusting her course more to the right. This course adjustment was done in a way so that her shoulder shield was now squarely in front of her. The entire Marasai shuddered violently as the bazooka shot slammed into the gundarium shield and sent it flying back. Samantha clenched her jaw, but she'd been through far worse.

Nonetheless, the writing was on the wall; it was time to get away, according to both Lt. Equality and the Kirov flares. Samantha leaned her Marasai back to direct it toward the Kirov and squeezed off a quartet of beams at Jacob's Rick Dias to discourage pursuit.

Up Front

- Stukov -

With mechanical precision and no hesitation, Stukov stood from his completed saber kill and brought up the left hand beam saber into a swift parry against the third Nemo's attack. He became suddenly aware of the incoming attack from both Jonas and Caroline, though, and, after knocking back his opponent's saber arm, he skimmed Dom-style around the Von Braun Nemo so it was between himself and Jonas/Caroline.

As he did this, Stukov noticed the lone Hizack taking on two other Nemos. Stukov had thought he was back here alone, but apparently some suicidal Hizack pilot had decided to follow his lead too much. With little chance of the Hizack pilot hearing his words, Stukov shouted, "You! Fall back now!" He punctuated the last word with a beam saber stab at the last of the Von Braun Nemo's midsection.

[Cardi Doorl]

Main Formation

- Salamis Kai-class Kalinin -
- Combat Bridge -

"That's it!" exclaimed Nguyen upon seeing the Kirov flares, "Those flares mean Von Braun City must have been cleared of rebels. You know what to do now!"

The helmsman nodded and tilted the Kalinin to move away from the moon's surface. The other ships in Echo and the 9th Expedition did likewise.

- Salamis Kai-class Herakles -
- Combat Bridge -

"Sir," piped up a bridge crewman, "Ens. Lepak's Hizack has returned to the suit bay. It's damaged beyond combat condition."

"I see," intoned Berg, "Where's the rest of the team?"

"We don't know, sir," confessed the analysis crewman, "We haven't heard from CO Brown or XO McMullen since they were sent with the front vanguard. According to Lepak, Ens. Pendragon stayed at the front while he withdrew, but we haven't been able to learn more about his situation beyond that."

"Damn it all, they're probably all dead," sighed Berg, "Right on our first sortie, too. In any case, have Lepak rest in his quarters; it seems his Hizack is in too bad a shape to fly out again before this fight's over."

Then the ship rocked suddenly.

"Hits, sir!" shouted the analysis man, "We have at least two hostiles firing at the bay doors and our cannons! Portside MPC reporting damage, information on the bay door currently unavailable!"

"Redirect AA fire to drive them away!" roared Berg, "Where's our mobile suit cover?"

- Beta Team -

Wolf manhandled his Marasai into a left barrel roll to slip by the blue Rick Dias' bazooka shot.

Now, it wasn't too hard to believe that a person would be familiar with the Ritter name if they were knowledgeable about prominent aristocratic families, but how did this man, his name implied to be 'Ashlyn', know that the black-and-gold Marasai was himself a Ritter? Wolf didn't bother asking. This ass claimed he would kill him personally, and Wolf didn't take kindly to such a declaration.

"I don't care what problems or connections you have with my father, rebel," retorted Wolf. He left it off like he was going to add more to the thought, but he never believed the battlefield was a place for chatter.

With Nick coming at the blue Dias from behind, Wolf let loose another beam launcher shot.

-

Alexandra half-listens to what Ryo has to say; instead, she sees the red Rick Dias duking it out with the Hades Team Hizacks. She saw it move to get away from the pushy green mobile suits. Alexandra misinterpreted the Dias' movements; to her, it looked at though it were moving toward the three-man jumble of Wolf, Nick, and the blue Rick Dias. As such, she thought, the red Dias was about to interfere in Wolf's fight.

"Stay away from him!" she screeched as she suddenly flew off and away from Ryo and straight at the beleaguered Michiko. As she drew near, she fired a three-shot beam rifle burst, in spite of the Hizacks' proximity.

- Hades Team -

Drossel's... Drossel's hijacking MY team!

Not about to let a mere XO call the shots, M-Hover shouted to Miller, "That's enough, Ensign! I'll finish the job here!"

He motioned for Varis to stay back, and the bland pilot did so without question. Then the Hades Team's leader swooped in toward the entangled Hizack and Rick Dias. Unaware of Alexandra's incoming beam rifle shot, Picard fired his own beam rifle at the red AEUG machine.

- Ipswich Team -

"Now!"

Gelt pushed off from the Lunar surface almost simultaneously with the release of Echo's general withdrawal flares. He enthusiastically opened fire with his beam rifle at Wes' Rick Dias. His team spread out around behind him and rattled off streams of bullets from their machine guns.

- Dooparalamoore Tri-Stars -

Dieguez roared past the Ipswich's bridge, prompting angry complaints from those therein (which he tuned out anyway).

He saw the machine they were supposed to intercept. Just one machine? Even if it was one of the AEUG's high-performance models, sending ten mobile suits to face it seemed like needless overkill.

Which suited Dieguez just fine.

Dieguez was a half-dozen football fields' lengths away from the Rick Dias when he let loose with his bazooka, then rolled left.

[Cybaster]

It was at this point that Vantz had completely decided to ignore his advice about close combat, and Julian realized in a second that it would be up to him to get Vantz out of trouble. In melee, Vantz was surely no match for Pendragon; Julian's next move might decide whether or not Vantz lives or dies.

Normally he wouldn't care, but in this case better alive than dead.

Seeing Pendragon root himself into the Lunar surface to prepare himself into a melee counter, Julian did the only thing he could: He moved forward with Vantz from Pendragon's left flank and leapt up slightly, Beam Saber and arm raised, as he brought his Nemo slightly above Pendragon's Hizack and moved forward --- then, once Julian was only slightly above Pendragon's Hizack's head height, he slashed down hard towards the Hizack's head and left side. Hopefully, if not pin Pendragon down due to the extra height and the Hizack's feet planted onto the ground, it would at least mess up Pendragon's stance enough for Vantz to survive charging at him.

[Folken Fanel]

Vantz came down at Pendragon with his saber raised for a slash. Aiming for Pendragon's head, his plan of attack was disrupted when Julian jumped in and got in the way of his slash. Forced to change his plans mid-flight, Vantz fired his thrusters went swerving around Pendragon while firing his vulcans. Struggling to right himself, Vantz spinned away from the other two mobile suits. He finally came to a stop when he ran into the edge of a crater. Standing up, Vantz flew back to where Julian and Pendragon where fighting. Firing the last of his vulcan shells, Vantz raised his only remaing weapon: the saber.

[Psyden]

Constantine actually starts sweating when he sees Julian prepare to attack because he really would be left without an option, but when Vantz aborts his attack, the Ensign maxes the thrusters and jets forward. As Vantz swerves wildly off to his right, Pendragon’s shoulder shield takes the vulcan rounds instead of the arm and body, though a round skips off of the top of the head, though the angle means that little damage is done. As Julian is left to attack the wave of Lunar dust kicked up by Constantine, he hears a garbled transmission from what can only be the Marasai pilot.

“You! *zzt* *krr* -ow!”

Unable to interpret what his is being ordered to do due to the extremely high density of Minovsky Particles, there is little he can do about it. What he has to do right now is protect the Marasai’s back long enough for him to dispatch the trio of Nemos.

Taking a look over is shoulder to gauge how much longer it is until the red suit is finished, he is astonished to find that the work is already finished. All this time, Pendragon has been struggling to occupy 2 Nemos and not end up dead and this pilot obliterated 3 Nemos as if they were nothing.

Task complete, Pendragon hits his thrusters and boosts around Julian to pick up his machinegun, which was lying half buried in the lunar dust, the maneuver taking him clear of the other Nemo’s vulcans. Sparing them a last glanced, ashamed that he couldn’t do more, Pendragon jets off towards the Herakles.

Next time, rebel scum. Next time…

[The Big Zabowski]

"Ay-ay! T-they're getting away!"

Al backpedaled his Nemo away from the Herakles AA fire as Norman too backed off his attack, not waiting to see if it was successful or not. They really had no choice either, as both were taking fire from the Herakles AND an Alexandria Class. Tough cookies for a pair of Nemos, that was for sure.

At least it would be for the best, as the whole taskforce was retreating, quickly slinging out of Lunar orbit. At this rate, they'd be pulled far out of the combat zone and swamped by incoming returning Titan MS. Norman could only fume in his adrenalin filled high..one of the quirks about his more well known levelheadedness.

"Al, F**k it, lets get out of here. They're on the run."

Al too let out a grumble, taking a split moment to bang a fist on his console as he weaved out of the way of the Herakles and Kirov's anti MS fire. As he turned to jet out of the combat zone, his scanners picked up something more from the rapidly disintegrating combat event.

It was a lone returning Hi-Zack. Not too worse for wear, but Al and Norman could probably change that.

"Sir, we've got incoming! Hi-Zack, 10 o'clock low!"

Norman had just finished firing off a quartet of shots toward the Herakles bridge in hopes of leaving a few more scars and found that he was practically squared up and in front of Pendragon's incoming Hi-Zack. He could only grin wide as he brought his rifle to bear, only a few shots remaining in the Nemo's weapon. With a double-click of the trigger, he let loose a volley of two shots toward the breast of the Hi-Zack, one left and one right.

The pilot would have to go wide to miss them, and allowed for him and Al to counter, especially with their distance to the target.

Al, on the other hand, blinked in amazement at Normans bravado to take on ANOTHER target while taking fire from an Alexandria and Sally Kai. HE sure had some cahones.. With that thought, Al too brought his rifle to bear, having more ammunition and thusly more combat time available. He let off a halo of shots around the Hi-Zack, one above, below , left and right, the fire toggle beeping a warning of overheat on the rifle.

"C'mon..get there!"

[EZero8]

--Wes Curren--

The alarms screamed at Wes as he continued to fire at the retreating Kalinin. He finally took notice dodged the beams, only to find himself on the recieving end of several bullets from machine gunners. He returned fire with his beam rifle at the enemies that showed up from under him: several Hi-Zacks...

"Dammit... where's backup when you need them?" Wes muttered, the realized that Jim had run off. "Coward..."

Another alarm, this time a bazooka round coming right from the Ipswich. Wes swerved to avoid the bazooka round before taking a good look at the units approaching...

"Rick Doms?!? Zeon's in on this too?" he growled, then turned his back towards the Rick Doms and aimed for both sides. He fired his primary beam rifle at the enemies below him, while he fired his racked beam pistols at the approaching Rick Doms.

He counted off and found ten total targets. The odds are definately not in his favor... but it was worth a shot to fight a bit before high-tailing it...