Project Top Gunman: Ace Combat

Chapter 11: A Fubar Argument And The Last Mission

After returning back to Zapland and one day later.

Spare 3 had returned back from the long drive, as Trigger and Prez were outside the briefing room with Bandog.

Prez: Who the hell, is stomping around?"

To answer your question Prez...the Base Commander wants nothing right now, in fact last I checked he was in the middle of a nap." Bandog rolls his eyes before moving forward and opening her cell. "It's Clemens again. He'll be here soon and apparently he wants to have a long talk with you two."

Prez shivered slightly. "Both of us?" Her blood ran cold, she had only heard about Clemens and how...discourteous he could be, especially to Trigger. People just sometimes didn't see them as human.

Bandog nodded slowly. "Yeah...both of you." He turned around, moving forward to pull Trigger's cell open. "Honestly, I'm just glad they actually called ahead this time. Last time they just arrived with no prior notice and pushed everyone around. Sadly, I have no idea what he actually wants and when I asked I got blown off." He sighed.

Trigger stepped out slowly, his eyes squinted slightly in concern. "You doing alright?"

The AWACS' raised an eyebrow at that. "Eh...as best as I can, still kinda shaken up from earlier. I'll never claim I'm the best at what I do, nor am I the best person. But I try damn it. I'm not used to having to watch as missiles fly by almost gutting my plane. It's...terrifying really." He shakes his head and takes a deep breath. "How the hell you two do what you do, I'll never know."

Look I don't fly the plane, he does." Prez points at her pilot with a smile. "This'll be my first time meeting Clemens though, any tips?"

"I would say don't get on his bad side, but you're both already there so..." Bandog shrugs. "I'll be there too, so you don't have to worry about him lording shit over you or trying to boss you around. I may not be that high up in the ranks, but this is our base, not his."

Prez raised an eyebrow at him, then looked to Trigger, who slowly nodded in response. "Oh, this is about the shit he tried to pull with Trigger when he talked back to him isn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Tried to order us around to throw him in solitary, on the records, he was, and that's all Clemens needs to know."

She grinned at that, looking to Trigger, who she specifically remembered never got thrown into solitary. "Oh I agree. In fact, I think we should pay you back for your hard work Bandog."

"Uhhhh..." The AWACS operator took a step back in confusion and slight fear.

Trigger nodded, fully agreeing that they should give him at least a little bit of something back. Perhaps a drink? It was honestly the most they could do.

"Oh! That's a great idea!" She felt her grin become more feral, as she turned towards their jailer. "Hey Bandog...you guys got a coffee machine here?"

He swallowed loudly, clicking his tongue. "Yeah...Why do you ask?"

Prez: "No reason."

Later Prez was sipping coffee that's completely made of fresh ground beans

Trigger, while quiet as usual, had a very satisfied smile on his face as he sipped from his own styrofoam cup, the tiredness quickly disappearing from his eyes. He was sat next to her, glancing between the table in front of them, and the door behind them. Suck in a sort of loop.