Answers
13 Jun 2022Ember Kurokishi
Ember looked at Cayce, examining his body language before staring looking back at the Dakota. "That was a ride, we're going to fix this thing when we get home. No ship should rot in a hangar bay."
Cayce just looked over at the ship : "It didn't even fly a couple weeks ago. Though I do see the landing gear still isn't quite right." As the Crusaders nose slumped into the dirt a bit. The front landing gear not able to hold the weight of the ship.
"Yeah .... we gotta fix that." He would then notice a green glow coming off the chair. "What the hell?"
Ember turned to look, immediately noticing and running over to reboard the ship. Soon as she gets to the cockpit she notices. "Someone's still trying to recall their ship I see... Cayce we either got another trap on our hands or Phoenix is not too far off. She mentioned her DBX wasn't responding to the recall requests ... but the Dakota is trying to respond!"
Ember looked out over the ice from the ship... then back to Cayce and Arisu standing next to their SRVs. Arisu had arrived amidst the chaos, luckily Ember had noticed when she did. Otherwise she might have accidently killed a friend.
"Cayce I have and idea, I'm going to let the Dakota recall. You and Arisu might wanna get back aboard your ships if we get there and it is in fact a trap I can assume control of her again. But the idea is we let this old ship lead us right to our friend."
It was at this moment Ember heard someone move in the ship behind her, she swiftly drew her plasma pistol and turned to aim. There was a man, in a flight suit bearing Imperial markings. "Easy, I'm a friend. I hope you don't mind that I stowed away on the ship, thought you might say no if I asked to join in on the trip. Names Ruben Anderson, one of Phoenixes crew and I work for her as a fighter pilot."
Ember lowered her weapon, "Phoenix did mention something about you and two others saving her ass during the NMLA conflict. I take it from the flight suit you used to be Imperial Navy?"
Ruben replied : "Yes, used to fly a Clipper, I decided to sneak aboard, after all you may need another pilot if we find her DBX out here. I am authorized to operate her ships as her fighter pilot."
Ember nodded : "You hear all of that Cayce?"
Cayce replied : "The more the merrier, more guns can't hurt and even if there's noone left an extra set of search hands won't hurt anything. Heh, seems Ruben is as stubborn as Shyanne."
Shyanne chimed in : "I still have nothing on the sensors here, so if there's a plan lets get to it"
Arisu spoke up : "Time to find our friend and bring her home" As she drove her SRV back towards the Jackrabbit.
"This has been an adventure and one I don't ever want to repeat."
Cayce nodded : "We're going to find her alright" As he raced back towards the Folly, Shyanne hovering low enough the SRV could be picked up without a proper landing.
Ember gave an affirmative nod to Ruben "Take a seat, we're going for a little ride. Everyone follow the Dakota!" She let the recall take over and the ship responded rather quickly lighting the engines and taking off straight into the air before proceeding off in the direction of the signal.
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After about 15 minutes, the Dakota arrives at the signal source, Phoenixes Scorpion finally showing up on the sensors. It was still functional but heavily battered, only a few meters away, was the entrance to a cave. Ember knew right away they had found her. The Jackrabbit and Folly were not far behind, Cayce monitoring for any airborne threats as they closed in.
Ember broke the silence : "We are definitely in the right place. As the Dakota set itself down, another contact pops in on the radar.
The Folly's sensors picking it up immediately, "It's her DBX, the Dakota must have boosted the recall signal somehow. Actually now that I think about it, it may have relayed." Cayce said as he looked at the DBX on scanners.
Wasting no time, the Jackrabbit sets down and Arisu deploys the SRV, Cayce doing the same as soon as it was safe enough to do so. Ember didn't bother and disembarked in full combat gear with her AR50 out. There were bodies outside the caves entrance, and Ember's heart sunk a bit. "Seems they did find her first." She makes her way into the cave, finding a few more bodies on the way in. None of them were Phoenix. Until she reached the back of the cave... "I FOUND HER" Ember rushed to her friends side checking her over. The suit was damaged but still had power, and Phoenixes vitals were there but weak.
Arisu and Cayce rushed into the cave. Ruben right behind them.
Cayce looked over his second in command : "I won't lie to you guys, this is bad a med pack will improve her chances but she needs proper medical attention."
Arisu looked on in shock for a moment before panic took over "She's not gonna die here, the closest system is only a few lightyears away, anyone of us could make it! WE HAVE TO TRY!"
Ember looked at Arisu : You're right we have to try and we will. She's not going to die in this fucking cave!
Ruben rushes over to Phoenix and pulls out a medkit he'd brought from the Dakota : "I'll do my best, Commander Luther is right, if we don't get her to a hospital soon she won't make it. Someone grab one of the scorpions and lets get her our of here! Quickly now!"
Cayce had run off to do just that before Ruben even finished his sentence. Ember lent Ruben a hand as best she could and the two of them rendered first aid. Cayce returned in his scorpion only a couple of minutes later.
Cayce opened the door : "Load her up, and I got her from here. Everyone get back to their ships and follow me! Best we get the fuck outta here before anyone else shows up."
Ruben and Ember carefully load Phoenix into Cayce's SRV and close the door. Cayce punches it outta the cave and back towards the Folly, while Arisu, Ember and Ruben all head back to their ships....
The search was finally over, and now Phoenixes life was hanging in the balance. Ember only hoped, they weren't too late.