Renzam Aubrey's Story

Raiza looked back, hearing Camilla speak, making actual sense of the situation, with an aspect that Raiza hadn't thought of until now, the team wasn't too familiar with eachother. It was definitely a noteworthy revelation, before Neuf spoke again, the team was to be decided after the sortie that evening, fair enough. Though then came the real fun, Tsubaki explaining the MASS, how they appear, which is through a type of temporal rift that quite literally spawns the blasted things out of thin air, it was old news to Raiza, as she'd been through this before, through both researching about the things, and through briefings like this. Moving on was the fun with the anatomy of Nightcrawlers, the most basic MASS "organism" if you could call it that. Thin and spindly, it begged the question as to why this creature is implemented in the army of sorts, outside of being probably inexpensive and good at taking care of humans outside of Silhouettes, though they were scary big, being almost as tall as Polaris in Battleoid form, they were not something exactly easily climbed. But outside of that, there was little to really fret on with them as Raiza could tell, as a Nightcrawler alone wasn't hard, however they came in packs, that's what made them dangerous. Then there was the take down ways, Raiza understood the core was it's weakest part, but wanted to try other methods, and even so much as research them a little more... The MASS intrigued her, and especially made her think what could be done should Black Fang get their hands on researching them....

Though the thought was snapped as the briefing ended, with Tsubaki finishing her report, and then Neuf mentioning the free time, five hours. While Anna merely walked off without so much as a word, Rhys mentioning mingling around and training, along with getting gifts for the female members of the team, with a gentle smile, she responded with a "Oh, you don't have to... I don't mind if you don't get anything for me." Next to walk out was Avery, whom as Rai has heard, was vomiting this morning, 'I'll be sure to make some tea for her, I believe Green Tea should help with that....' soon enough, Raiza spun on her heels, and lightly waved,

"If you don't mind me, I plan to get something to eat, maybe have some tea, and whatnot." as she began to walk away, mumbling bit and pieces of her plan to herself, and somehow ended in the Hangar once more, looking at Polaris, as engineers crawled around it. It was a nice craft she had, and Raiza made sure she tended to it the best she could, often with regular cleanings and regular checks herself. While Engineers knew what they were doing, Raiza preferred to check herself. Though that was not what she was there for, as she looked for bright pink, Genna. It didn't take long to find her, and soon words were exchanged,

"If you have the chance, Genna, could you equip Polaris' Heavy Weapons module? And if you could also switch the Phoenix missiles for the Wasp missiles that'd be nice too. But if you can't do it that's fine, I know you're busy."

It wasn't like Raiza needed it, it was more-so that she needed more firepower to protect the people entering Haven. Raiza would not allow a single casualty without both her and Polaris to go down. Though after being confirmed to her request, Raiza stopped by her next stop, without even realizing she was still in her pilot uniform, (Though it'd make no sense to change, she'd be back in it a few hours later) which was the observation deck, the pilot often visited the area as it gave her both a good view of the surroundings, and also giving her a chance to talk to Tsubaki, whom was likely still cross with her for the mini-air show. 'I really could have joined a flying circus....' she thought laughing at the prospect of that, though she did make a note to that, when there was a safe chance, to have a show for the people of Haven, though she pushed the thought aside as she entered the Observation deck, as the door opened, Rai laughed a little,

"Still dimly lit as ever I see, do you just enjoy the room to be lit by only monitors, Tsubaki?" she asked, shaking her head with a laugh, "I remember being told watching a monitor in the dark is bad for your vision." It was apparent to Raiza that she felt like everyone's mother, but that was brushed aside, as the pilot took up a second chair, rolling towards a monitor, as it flickered up, giving a view from the top of the fortress, while only one tent was noticeable, the red one, that is, Raiza moved the camera around, slowly picking up on the terrain they were in, to place Polaris in the right position...

Minerva was surprised to hear that the commander had only called them here to see just how many wanted the position of leadership, before jokingly calling out the team's two male pilots on taking no action while the women did so. Yes, perhaps their capability for leadership would be best seen on the battlefield itself. It didn't sound like standard procedure to her, but then Dix Neuf was hardly one for convention. The bathtub still sitting in the office was proof enough of that.

The briefing proceeded to a formal introduction to their operator, Tsubaki Horizon, who gave them a quick refresher as to the nature and capabilities of the MASS. Having sat through so many similar briefings, Minerva practically knew it all by heart. Take down a MASS by destroying its core, but try to extract it if possible to help fuel Haven. It was all a matter of weighing the risks against the rewards.

When the meeting was adjourned, Minerva watched some of the pilots file out of the room before departing herself. So they would have a few hours of free time before they were needed. The veteran pilot decided to check up on how her Silhouette was doing in its hangar bay. During her years of service she was no stranger to being transferred to a new base, but those had all been stationary installations. She was quite curious as to what facilities a mobile base such as this had to offer.

Haven's hangar was already loaded with the team's Silhouettes and their support vehicles, with adequate staffing to repair and maintain them. Minerva briefly caught the sight of Raiza speaking with Genna, the latter's bright pink hair making her stand out like a beacon despite her lack of height. Deciding not to intrude upon their discussion, Minerva pressed on towards the familiar blue shape of her own Silhouette, the Sarissa...

...and right next to it happened to be the Diesever. With a sigh, she averted her gaze from the retooled and repainted machine in favour of taking a closer look at her own to see if the mechanics were giving it proper treatment.

Tsubaki gave a slow blink when Rhys flashed her his charming grin. A faint pink shade took over her cheeks, and the operator averted her cyan eyes, then stammered, "Why...uh...t-thank you." She was unused to such behavior from a Black Fang pilot. Not even Commander Neuf, and found herself unsure on how to react. And yet... it was not an unpleasant feeling.

Dix Neuf chuckled at Avery's comment. With an unmoving smile, he replied, "I wouldn't call myself an expert, but... possibly a journeyman. Definitely above apprentice. At the very least, I know that women are like the sun. If they don't shine bright, us men would just..."

The Commander leaned back slightly, paused for emphasis, and gave a wink.

"...wilt."

As Renzam exited and walked down the corridor, he mumbled to himself, a perpetual frown on his face. "And if they shine too bright, we'd burn. Like eggs in a desert." He had nothing against women, obviously. He simply could not afford any distractions. Even if they were very tempting. And cute.

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Rhys was in luck. Haven's largest area, the indoor plaza, had been opened for public use. The construction workers and ladders had been rid of, the lights affixed to provide adequate illumination upon the walls and floors of old, recycled iron. Everything seemed either brown or gray, with splashes of red-orange and yellow here and there. Even though the construction in this specific area had been finished, much of the wall panels and wiring were left exposed, no doubt to expedite the process and save on resources.

The plaza seemed almost like a small city. Buildings up to four storeys tall were neatly laid around them, each serving to either house Black Fang's Eurasian refugees and/or provide certain services. Much of the buildings will remain uninhabited until Commander Neuf officially signaled the time of boarding, yet Rhys were able to guess their purposes by their prominent signs. 'Belkan's Gourmet', 'Niko's Tailoring', 'Red Light Massage'...

The cat-bearded pilot found himself on a circular area on the southern side of the plaza, where several small stalls had been set up. In the center was a bronze sculpture, depicting a tall, broad shouldered man wearing a long, flowing coat. His jaw had been chiseled to perfection, and even without pupils, one could see a certain fire burning inside his sharp and sharply sculpted eyes. The nameplate read 'Magna Regnum'. Black Fang's long-dead founder.

"Excuse me! Sir!"

A high pitched voice called.

Left, right, back. Rhys saw nobody.

"Down here!"

A tiny boy, barely reaching the older pilot's knees, held up a tray, lined with twelve cinnamon rolls. Their freshly baked, yellow-brown surface seemed to glisten with the soft, white glaze which dripped from their peak to their sides.

"Would you like a sample?" The boy asked, with a smile so giddy that seemed to form a sideways "C" on his face.

Avery, who was seeking higher quality refreshments, found herself, and Rhys nearby, around this area as well. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that her options were very limited until at least the following day. A great many restaurants were built around the plaza, offering noodles, beef bowls, even pasta. For now, however, these offers remained hollow.

Haven's hangar. The one area in this ship that never slept. The incessant banging of heavy machinery and hissing of steam would drive lesser men insane. But of course, Black Fang's engineers, like the Silhouettes they maintain, were made of sterner stuff. Genna sat upon a crate as she took a break, her bright pink hair bouncing as she observed a book in her hand.

As she heard Raiza's approaching steps, the pink haired engineer sprung up, then immediately hit the suspicious book behind her back. "A-AH!" She squeaked out, eyes large and round as a hamster's. "I-I wasn't looking at pictures of-"

She immediately stopped herself as the variable pilot made her request. Her quivering lips turned into a cheeky grin as her ears picked up on Raiza's technical terms.

"Heavy weapons module, phoenix missiles. Got it! No problem!" Genna stood on her heels to seem taller, then gave Raiza a salute."Consider it done~!"

The pink haired engineer, deciding that her break was over, walked over to the side to pick up her equipment. A set of wrenches, heavy duty pliers, keys for the hangar cranes... She relayed Raiza's request to her senior officer, and together, the mechanics worked together to fulfill it.

After half an hour of working, Genna shouted aloud to her mechanic team."Hold on! I need to go take a pee!", before jumping off the Polaris' right wing and bouncing away. The sweat and grease all over her clashed quite jarringly against Genna's saturated pink hair.

As she ran halfway through the hangar, Genna suddenly stopped at the sight of the DK-13. The machine's lack of treads had always caught her eyes.

"A hover tank, huh?"

Against her better judgement, the engineer hopped onto the tank's hull, observing its every detail. Simple. Light. Sleek, very much like most of the Silhouettes, and totally unlike the heavy, blocky, and clumsy support tanks. Her eyes then wandered to its pilot, dozing off with her earphones on. She couldn't help but grin.

"Ufufufu... she seem so peaceful. I guess I shouldn't bother her,"

And with that, Genna leapt off the tank, and continued on her merry way to the restroom.
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Nearby, the mechanics conducted routine maintenance upon Minerva's Sarissa. Neither conversation nor eye contact were shared between them and the icy pilot, and the silence further emphasized the mechanical ambience in the background.

"All sensors in working condition," one mechanic said aloud.

"On-board ammunition at maximum stock," another reported.

Amidst the noise, Minerva's sharp ears could make out someone approaching. Straight at her. Slow, but deliberate.

It was him. Renzam Aubrey. The Diesever's new pilot, wearing a purple uniform which matched him as much as the lavender matched the Diesever. He stared at her from behind, one hand in his pocket.

"...."

A moment of silence passed.

"......."

A long moment of silence.

Renzam tilted his head slightly.

"You knew my brother," he suddenly blurted out.

Renzam turned slightly, and looked up to his Diesever. A fresh coat of lavender and dark purple paint over its chassis. A brand new pair of arms, with a humanoid Silhouette's trademark articulated five-fingered hands open and relaxed. Most of the Silhouette's upper body had been replaced after its previous pilot's grisly death, though aside from the paint and thigh-mounted giant sheathes made to house the Silhouette's knives, its lower body was mostly untouched.

"What was he like?"

Minerva spent some time watching the team of mechanics refuel and rearm the Sarissa, so focused with their work that they paid her no mind. It was a small comfort that the team's Silhouettes would be entrusted to such a capable repair crew between battles, to bring the fighting machines back up to full working order as soon as possible should they get damaged in the line of duty.

And so focused was the stoic pilot in watching them work that she nearly jumped at the sound of footsteps approaching her. She turned her head, and her eye narrowed when she saw who it was. Just her luck. The newly refitted Diesever's pilot was now here too.

For the longest time, the two merely exchanged stares. Minerva found this to be... awkward, to say the least. She was about to consider making an excuse to leave, but Renzam was the first to break the silence between them, asking what his brother was like.

His brother...

Minerva found herself thinking long and hard about what Renzam meant with his question. Of course people knew of Adzam. His reputation as an ace Silhouette pilot preceded him. But that would be too obvious an answer.

"He was... a very brave and charismatic person," she said at last. "He was more than just a brilliant pilot and tactician. To the rest of his team, he always knew what to say to keep them in high spirits. When he said that he believed in you... you could tell that he really meant it..." Minerva looked away, clearly unwilling to say much more than that, especially having said so much already. There was, however, one thing that caught the attention of her curiosity.

"What about you? When I spoke with him, I got the impression that the two of you did not get along."

Renzam blinked, taken aback by Minerva's words. After her harshness with Anna, and her straightforward frankness with Dix Neuf, her comments about Adzam radiated with passion, understated as it might have been. It was nothing he haven't heard before, of course. Yet somehow, coming from her, it sounded more... believable.

"Oh..," Renzam instinctively grunted as Minerva asked her question. The silver haired pilot turned away as well, focusing his attention on the refitted Diesever.

"We barely knew each other. We've both been pilots for years, but never in the same unit."

A pause. Renzam found himself unable to look away from his Silhouette. His brother's legacy...

"Every time we do meet, he always had something to critique about my performance. He always seemed more a parent than a brother to me," the Diesever's pilot added.

With a dispassionate sigh, he mumbled, "Too bad he died, I guess. He was a good pilot." Simple. Blaise. Emotionless. For many, it would sound insincere.

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Tsubaki slowly glanced over and observed Raiza as she worked, showing off her calm and tactical mind. She wondered why Dix Neuf would not just nominate Raiza as field leader earlier. She was clearly the best fit for the job, Tsubaki thought. The operator couldn't help but stare as Raiza then voiced out her sadness, her brows furrowed and her smile deflating into a frown.

Still, if there was one thing she learnt, a little bit of levity goes a long way.

"I hope you're right. I wouldn't mind having a wolf puppy....," Tsubaki wondered aloud. "Those big googly eyes..... that soft fur... And don't forget the long ears, and, and the fluffy tail!"

The red haired operator's thoughts went places as she pondered about it longer, her face beaming with newfound excitement.

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Hibaki Horizon's jaw slowly slid down and hung open as Rhys offered to practically buy his entire cinnamon rolls stock. Before he even officially opened the shop!

"Mister....," the boy whispered.

With a grin that took half his face, he then proclaimed out loud,"YOU'RE THE BEST!", before running off to grab the cat-bearded pilot's orders.

It took him a while, but Hibaki brought Rhys two heavy shopping bags worth of heavenly sweetness, both of which, together, seemed larger than the boy himself, causing him to waddle over as he brought them to the Paladin's pilot.

"Pleasure doing business with you! Come again!!"

Genna took a step back and stared, a mildly startled look in her brown, round eyes. She did not audibly object when the older pilot felt up her pink curls, her mouth hanging open as she struggled to find the proper words.

In an attempt to shake off the awkwardness, the pink haired girl giggled. "Tee..heehee! Heehee!" Then, with a polite smile, she replied to her offer, "I'd have to take a rain check on that! I'm going to be really busy for a while. Heehe, these machines can't maintain themselves, you know!""

As if just suddenly remembering, Genna held one finger up and said, "Oh! That reminds me! I still have to help my team with Raiza's machine!" The girl turned around, kept an upbeat smile on her face, and sprinted out of the restroom while waving at Anna. "See you later, Anna! Excited to see your tank in action~"

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"Officer Lane, this is Command. Thank you for the heads up, I'll alert Commander Neuf and all relevant personnel!"

With a sigh, Tsubaki leaned back in her chair, her eyes darting to the myriad screens around her. "Looks like we won't have five hours in the end...," Tsubaki thought aloud within Raiza's earshot. The operator glanced to the variable pilot and continued, a serious expression in her face. "It might be best if you and your fellow pilots get ready to sortie."

Without waiting for a response, Tsubaki spun in her chair and began typing away.

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Tsubaki's commanding voice soon traveled throughout Haven and its surroundings, aided by the many speakers on board the mobile fortress.

"Attention to all Haven personnel! We have received word of heavy winds from the north. Mechanics and auxiliaries, please retreat behind the fortress' walls! Combatants, put on your pilot suits and prepare to sortie!"

In an instant, the previously, relatively calm hangar livened up with the rush of a thousand footsteps. Construction workers in yellow hardhats finished what they could, slid down their ladders, then headed deeper into the fortress, followed by engineers, custodians, and other non-combatants.

Renzam watched the scene unfold before him, catching sight of Camille's distinctive blue hair chatting with Rhys not too far away. The silver-haired pilot turned to Minerva. "So, our first combat operation together is going to take place in a sandstorm. Should be fun." His tone was deadpan, his expression unenthusiastic, or at least sedated.

Around the hangar, Renzam saw the pilots of more conventional fighter jets and crews of simple tanks strap into their skintight, yet padded pilot suits. Some could be seen complaining.

"Why do we have to wear this shit in the desert?!"

"Are you stupid? These suits shield us from the MASS' contamination! The black liquid they spew will rot your insides!"

"Isn't that why we're riding inside tanks and silhouettes in the first place?"

"Well, of course! But what if our fancy vehicles get busted? We can't survive out there without a suit for more than two hours, you know! The MASS really messed up our atmosphere...."

Renzam glanced to Minerva one more time, then nodded, encouraging her, "Good luck." before departing to change into his suit.

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Lit by the blazing sun, the Eurasian refugees began their docking of Haven. Their final refuge, their last hope. Twenty thousand men, women, and children marched through eight entry points, two each on Haven's four sides, supervised by Black Fang soldiers both on foot and inside tanks.

With a megaphone in hand, a Black Fang soldier, clad in standard issue black pilot suits, barked through a loudspeaker, "Come on people! Let's march in an orderly fashion! There's room for everyone, no need to push!"

Amongst the crowd, a family of three huddled together. A middle-aged father with a toothbrush mustache, his pregnant wife, and their tiny daughter, clutching a teddy bear. The parents guided their daughter, holding her shoulders protectively with one arm each.

"Don't be scared, darling. Everything's going to be alright, now...," the mother encouraged her youngling with a smile.

"Black Fang will keep us safe," the father added, turning his attention to the organization's logo, painted proudly upon the mobile fortress' starboard. An ivory fang, upon a grey and blue shield, with pitch black blood dripping from its tip. The blood of humanity's sworn enemies, the MASS.

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With a hiss and a click, Renzam sat himself upon the Diesever's cockpit. A narrow, boxy chamber, with large screens at his front and by his sides. The silver-haired pilot took a deep breath, sniffing the fresh coat of purple paint on the cold metal. his pilot suit, a magenta version of the standard Black Fang suits had been polished to match the clean colors of his cockpit.

In his hands was a magenta helmet to go with his suit. A headgear fashioned from the remains of Adzam Aubrey's own. The young man closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead against said helmet. When the Diesever was pulverized, the salvage crew deemed its cockpit far beyond restoration. This helmet, somehow, miraculously survived, remaining perfectly still, albeit heavily damaged, on his brother's mangled and bloody corpse.

"Hoy. Brother."

A long sigh. Renzam wondered why he said that. Out loud, at that. He was never religious. He did not believe in ghosts, or the afterlife, or whatever.

"...Nevermind."

Renzam stood straight, slid the helmet into his head, and twisted the Diesever's ignition. A low hum accompanied various green lights flickering to life around the cockpit, displaying tons of technical information on the black screens around him. Renzam quickly glanced around to scan it all. Silhouette parts integrity, ammunition stock, fuel supplies. The works.

His black gloved hands wrapped around one of the machine's levers. With the press of a button, the spiky-haired pilot alerted command. [magenta]"This is Caestus, on the Diesever. All systems go. Launching![/magenta]

A jagged line formed upon his silhouette's black visor. The hum emanating from its engines intensified. The machine's servos whirred and clicked, as it raised a foot, then stepped forward. A 15-meter titan of purple and lavender steel, with a swiveling bazooka mounted on its back left shoulder. Every step it took sent vibrations across the hangar, its movements rigid, heavy, precise.

The hangar gate at the bow slowly opened, bringing the bright sun into the dark hangar. The Diesever's boxy feet departed the cold steel floors and arrived upon the hot, coarse sand, standing tall and proud as one of Haven's prime vanguards.

Minerva's brow furrowed ever so slightly at Renzam's dispassionate remark, but said nothing. They might not have been particularly close, but... how could he just brush off the death of a family member like that?

However, there was little time to dwell on this, thanks to the sudden intervention of an alert broadcasted on the fortress's speakers. With a sandstorm approaching, the pilots were ordered to get ready to sortie in case any MASS decided to use the storm to mask their approach. So much for their five hours' break. Much like herself, Renzam didn't seem particularly thrilled at the prospect of keeping watch under such conditions.

"Visibility will be much lower in this weather. Be careful," she replied to Renzam's comment before going to change into her own pilot suit. As per protocol, the teams of mechanics retreated to the safety of the small city contained within Haven itself. After getting dressed for battle, Minerva made a run for her Silhouette as the other pilots prepared to launch. Clambering into the Sarissa's cockpit and starting up engines and communications, she could hear some of the other pilots checking in over the radio. Minerva checked the displays for ammunition levels and system integrity, strapped herself in and switched her gaze to the main screen showing the feeds from the Sarissa's external cameras.

"Athena, standing by. All systems green. Preparing to launch."

"Hey, thanks!" Camille thanked the bun Rhys handed over to her. As she had been quite a fast eater, she was able to devour the meal in a few seconds, watching the heavy winds pick up. For a while, it didn't seem like anything would happen--until Tsubaki's voice rang out from the intercom.

"Attention to all Haven personnel! We have received word of heavy winds from the north. Mechanics and auxiliaries, please retreat behind the fortress' walls! Combatants, put on your pilot suits and prepare to sortie!"

"One step ahead of you ma'am!" Camille called out to no one in particular as she hopped into the cockpit of her bird, working on the mechanisms to bring it to life. Fortunately, although it was considered an older machine, it's cockpit interface was far more advanced than most 21st century machines. It doesn't take a lot of skill to learn how to fly the thing. What would require skill is--

"A possible encounter with unpredictable wind speeds and low visibility terrain and limited ammunition and attack options...This isn't really a battle geared towards us..." Camille thought as the plasma engines revved up. "Buit if we can do our job well in this kind of environment, that might enable us to score some brownie points with the top brass. Might as well do it."

"Crow-04--all set to go in the VFM! Ready to launch anytime!" Camille responded, her hands ready on the throttle.

The Gobi Desert. 1400 hours. Haven's defense force mobilized around the massive mobile fortress. The Diesever, the Sarissa, the DK-13, and four tanks watched over the starboard entry, while the Paladin, the Stinger, and five tanks stayed vigil by the port side, both entryways pivotal for the masses of refugees which came. The nine tanks which accompanied the five silhouettes were considerably more primitive compared to the DK-13, built for suppressing and defensive fire instead of direct MASS combat.

"Heyyyy, Babe... hic... sweet... tanks ya got there....," a drunken tank driver called out to Anna, his slurry voice providing static through the intercomm.

"Marcus?! Have you been drinking AGAIN?" another tank driver reprimanded him.

From his cockpit, Renzam watched as thousands marched upon the ramp. Fathers. Mothers. Children. Merchants. Tradesmen. People of various shapes, sizes, color, and origin, yet of one destination. The Diesever's iron fingers wrapped around its bazooka's handle as the massive weapon rested on its shoulder. "This will take a while...," the spiky haired pilot thought aloud, transmitting his voice through the intercom. "Thank heavens this monkey suit has built-in air conditioning...."

Black Fang ground troops stood in front of the Silhouettes and the tanks, deployed to maintain peace and order, and, like the tanks, not to fight the MASS. One of the younger troopers looked up, gazing at the Stinger and the Paladin's huge and mighty forms, and whined, "Why can't I get one of those?", prompting an older trooper to bark at him, "Hey! Kid! Focus!"

"Scorpion has deployed the Stinger's scanner drones. Analyzing data...," Tsubaki's voice reported across each of the defense force's cockpit communicators. The operator's eyes and fingers moved about rapidly in the navigation tower as she shared a live feed from the drones' perspective. A steady, rhythmic beat. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"This is Black Fang's outrider force, we'll scout from ground level," a hoarse voice remarked. Heavy engines roared across the dune sea as Black Fang soldiers rode atop rusted, yet agile jeeps. What the Stinger's scanner drones couldn't pick up from a certain distance, the outrider force would catch with their eyes. Until the sandstorm comes, that is.

While Scorpion's drones and the Outriders kept an eye on the ground, the Polaris and the Corvidae took to the skies, soaring across the blue expanse and followed by five less advanced, non-Silhouette worthy fighter jets, each bearing the Black Fang sigil upon their left wing, each following the lead of the two Silhouette pilots.

"Let's do our best, Madams!" one of the fighter pilots encouraged them.

Far ahead, across the ocean of sand, the fighter squad could see it. Colorless, formless distortions in the air, creating ripples the size of olden skyscrapers. A low, droning noise emitted from within, as the indescribable distortions swelled and contracted...

"I-is that it? Freaky..." one of the fighter pilots stammered.

Rhys looked across the desert, or more accurately stared at the massive sand wall mere inches in front of his viewport. So much sand, if some crazy person could gather it all they could make a massive city made out of sand. A reassuring thought which kept the buzzing nervousness in the back of his head. Sure, they were in danger of getting killed by some alien which would unnerve most people. But the last thing to do was show any of that, or even hear yourself with panic in your voice. Keeping a brave face would be pretty good for moral. "Alright everyone! Let's do some hard work out here. Let's go kick some mechanical ass and get back home in time for lunch. So, anyone know who our fireteam leader is? It would be a good idea to establish a squad leader to maintain order. You know, one person to give the orders instead of a mosh pit of ideas when things go to hell. Last thing we need are mix-ups." Rhys asked.

Sure, Rhys was no tactical genius or even a soldier. However one thing everyone could agree on was a head figure to keep them organised and running together as one. "Oh, and when we do get back I got cinnamon rolls for all of us. So let's work up an appetite!" Rhys added with confidence. A big grin plastered on his face which no one would see. One thing he learned, if one person is confident then others will be less tense. If he could show everyone that if they work their hardest they can win any battle, and with the weight of the civilians his determination could only grow at this point. "Time to see the enemies hand..." he muttered to himself.

Flying through the sky once more, it reminded Raiza of the older times she had, when everything was peaceful, where she could fly where she wished, how she wished, and had not worried about a MASS of flailing tentacles trying to kill her. With the sun gleaming in through the canopy once more, Raiza took a light breath, reminiscing in the days she so longingly missed. While there was a squad of five fighters, along with Polaris and Corvidae, it was notable that the pilot had not moved like her usual antics, more so flying straight, letting the jet itself fly, while keeping it level. It'd look bad should Raiza, someone whom credits herself with no crashes in any manner, just suddenly plummeted into the sand. Meanwhile, her mind drifted to her life before the MASS, wondering if the little plane she had been working on was still in working shape. Raiza was no engineer when it came to the more up-to-date jets and Silhouettes, but older planes she had some knowledge on, and could do minor repairs, it felt much easier to repair an actual engine, rather than.... Whatever powered the jet, it was lost to the woman as to what it was that caused the jet to fly.

Though said daydream was cut off by the chatter over the radio, mainly a few tank drivers bickering, since one was already drunk, at a mere two in the afternoon, well, it's five'o'clock somewhere.... A light laugh came from Rai, as she listened to the two argue a degree before the Outrider Force chimed in, giving a notice that they were scouting the ground, Raiza opened her radio to them, "You all be careful now." her words sounded that like a mother's, she didn't wish to see anyone else die, having dealt with the MASS for a while, she has seen various members of the Black Fang fall in combat, though several pilots chattered to Camille and herself, as they flew, she made a promise to every one of them, including Camille, and the Silhouette pilots on the ground,

"So you all know, I will do my best to make sure you six get home. Even if it means I push death to reach you, if you're in danger, and need help, I'll be right there. Let this be a promise to all of you." Her words were serious, Raiza wished to remain with the same squadron for as long as she could. Though one of the younger pilots pointed something out, that caught Raiza's attention, distortions, at the distance they were at, the distortions were faint, colorless and nearly invisible, rising as high as what Raiza had remembered were the massive skyscrapers she saw as a child. An instinct kicked in, as her Radio soon was alive once more, as Raiza's throttle increased ever so slightly, as Polaris entered combat speed,

"Distortions detected. Eighteen degrees Northeast, distance Five-hundred (NM). Closing in to engage. Adjusting course by fifteen degrees."

With Polaris speeding forward, Raiza prepares for the fight to ensue.