Three Strikes [✓]

Last Hope

"You said it yourself, we've got this," Naomi said, echoing his words after the briefing. She didn't really need to remind him, it was more of a reminder to herself than anything. And once they were within range of their potential enemies and allies alike she realized she really did need that reminder. "Shit..."

As they reached the city limits, Naomi's HUD lit up with scattered groups of yellow targets. While they had expected the confusion, there were more combatants than any of them had thought. Everyone was shooting first and asking questions later, stuck in a messed up standoff where everyone was a target.

"Long Caster, it's a real mess down there," Count observed, taking in the scene for himself. He almost sounded in disbelief. "Are all of these really unknowns?"

"It's a state of civil war," Captain Karl answered instead of Long Caster, explaining the situation with a sense of urgency to his words. "The Erusean Army split into factions following the satellites' destruction, and is now fighting itself. There's no guarantee the Oseans won't shoot us in this confusion."

"I knew it was gonna be hell, but I never would have thought the Eruseans would have turned on themselves like that," Naomi said, somehow finding the situation even more messed up than before. "Has this shit been festering behind the scenes this whole time or what?"

There was no answer right away, almost as if Captain Karl was checking with their cargo before he said anything. A few seconds of silence and he finally replied, "It's a...rather long and complicated story, I'm afraid."

"We'll have answers soon enough, Trigger," Long Caster said, changing the topic back to the operation. "Entering the Anchorhead Bay area. Buildings will block your line of sight, so be sure to keep track of your objective the whole time. It's just like the briefing said, we'll image process the unknowns caught in your cams to identify friend from foe."

"How long do we have to close in before you can complete the ID?" Naomi asked, fastening her oxygen mask in place and lowering her visor.

"It's difficult to say," Long Caster replied quickly. "However, the process'll be faster if you're able to get a close up, well-centered image."

"Meanwhile, we just run if they shoot us, right?" Count asked.

"Affirmative. Always identify your target before you fire," Long Caster said. Almost apologetically, he added, "Sorry, I know it's easier said than done."

"Righto. That about describes most of our sorties, nothin' new," Count said with a sigh. "Alright, Trigger, let's go."

"Good luck, you two, clear the way for us," Jaeger said to them as he and Húxiān lowered their speed to one that allowed them to remain close to the car.

"Roger that, let's get this show on the road," Naomi said, throttling up Count close behind, the two of them selecting a group of targets on the road and lowering altitude to close in, weaving between buildings as they did.

The Raptor's response to increases and decreases in speed was almost instantaneous, something that would be an advantage in any situation. In this case it would keep her from crashing into a building or the ground, neither an appealing option. Judging by all of the aircraft buzzing around, it would soon prove how useful it was in a dogfight.

Switching her weapons over to the XSDBs, she got a radar lock on a cluster of four unknown targets. One directly in the path of their VIP, the others on a different, nearby road. She made as low an approach as she dared and waited before she fired, resisting the knee jerk reaction to fire as soon as she heard the tone, lucky that the three that actually looked capable of firing were occupied by a nearby helicopter.