Tarsus para bellum

[gurusql]

Kit

To all local units via encrypted channel, "This is Captain Ghosal, maintain position, bombing run is imminent from the east at military speed."

Then over open channel if possible using laser comms directed at the Vargr that counter fighting in the valley, "Exit the battlefield immediately, I cannot be held responsible for your safety from friendly fire."

[helvorn]

Kit

To all local units via encrypted channel, "This is Captain Ghosal, maintain position, bombing run is imminent from the east at military speed."

Then over open channel if possible using laser comms directed at the Vargr that counter fighting in the valley, "Exit the battlefield immediately, I cannot be held responsible for your safety from friendly fire."

Dzofin was brave but not an idiot. He recognized professionals at work from the elimination of the scout bikes and the gunfire starting to lash the attackers. Besides, his work was done here. He had demonstrated his charisma by single-handedly distracting and attacking the advancing forces to protect his pack. A good leader knew when it was time to stop gnawing a bone and move on to bigger and better things. With most of his team injured perhaps these lurking mercenaries might need a proven warrior and leader. He certainly wouldn't find out the answer to that question if killed by friendly fire.

Screeching the bike around, Dzofin headed to the nearest edge of the advancing force.

[shaidar]

Frank

Frank

"Voss, lets keep an eye on Rond, see how they react. Tell Deliverance to be ready, just in case we need to stop any reinforcements reaching the planet."

Voss replies "Sir, I'm moving Deliverance in at a cautionary distance. Corporate assets are lighting up system wide. In retrospect that didn't seem strategically or tactically wise. Outsystem: in the positions expected per the "boiler plate" Imperial doctrine patrol pattern two of their patrol cruisers were immediately attacked by passively loitering anti radiation missiles. In both cases those missiles had a milspec nuclear payload - that's two K Kills. SuSAG are continually hailing their deep outsystem boat but constantly receive only signal acknowledgement as the reply. Another patrol cruiser just went dark after reporting a contact closing at 6G. In system there's just serial conflicting reports. Two massive subterranean explosions in our tactical planetary aspect... maybe consistent with the destruction of dense pack planetary defense missile batteries. Other terrestrial and orbital missile batteries are engaging but a lot of their nuclear warheads are being shot down inbound or are failing to detonate at all. I suggest that in addition to their formidable and expertly managed defensive beam weapons the Aslan have an active nuclear damper aboard of significant strength. The rest of the Corporate insystem flotilla are engaging the Aslan vessel piecemeal. Against a vessel about ten times their displacement... "It's not going well" is maybe generous... fek... contacts merged! Sir, I think the Aslan Intruder Transport just boosted to 5G and rammed a patrol cruiser".

Frank winces "I hope the Aslan are being as accurate as they are aggressive. What is Ms Pestis up to? Is the shuttle in any danger in it's current location?"

[Tiglath]

All at Spion Kop / the Valley of Tears

The SEMC battle computer linked to all on the command channel shows the Newland Light infantry continuing to drive the confused and now seemingly uncontrolled insurgent infantry towards the donga. The routers take the obvious choice and enter the river bed. The more martially minded surge towards the Newland positions in the hills forming the valley sides while others dither in the river bed resisting attempts to have them join the attack. Some semblance of order and the inititation of an attack is underway when the G Car dropped "stop groups" open fire. Each team opens up with controlled bursts from their machine gun while their riflemen shoot rifle grenades into the rear of the packed mass in the dry river bed. The gunship flies directly along the river bed towards the hills as dropping cannisters that tumble into the river bed. Bright orange flame scours the donga and the pervasive stench of hydrocarbon volatiles waft into the SEMC fighting positions in the valley [I tee the quotes up so you don't have to! ] The advancing paras aggressively advance their sweep line as the stop groups close in on the shattered enemy bounding forward in skirmish order.

Dzofin performs an instinctive tactical appraisal as he roars towards the tank he has selected as his target. He identifies the "largest and most dangerous" tank as the one with the enormous flag in the front rank. Why wouldn't it be??? To his dismay it appears to have a competent warband riding on the back who gamey shoulder their weapons to meet his charge. An RPG goes well wide as its firer is jostled by the near headless corpse of a comrade's body. Another rifleman aiming at him seems to suddenly give up and sinks to his knees before pitching off the tank's engine deck. Now he is over the tank and triggers his RPG. The sound Swordy craftsmanship responds and blasts the shaped charge warhead into the engine compartment and the tank begins to burn. Based on his wily instincts her simply opens the throttle and gives his grav bike the beans zipping through the entire enemy formation. He evades successfully only to realize his steed is making a very funny noise and the smoke can't be good (although is possibly quite stylish). He thinks he can see infantry among the rocks at the head of the valley.

Too late for any reaction the IFVs radar paints a contact closing at high G from the east. In the front rank of enemy armour an entire infantry squad riding on the rear of an APC immolate as the vehicle's crew compartment armour suddenly burns. Three tanks turn into columns of fire as on board fuel and ammo burn while a fourth explodes scouring infantry from the rear of its neighbours and blasting its turret high atop a pillar of flame. In the second rank three more tanks are stopped as one catastrophically detonates while two more slew to a halt with black smoke pouring from their open hatches.

There's a glipmse of not one but two fighters shaped like leafed spear blades flying in an impossibly tight formation. Threading the western hills they perform a perfectly synchronized split left and right into a tight turn to then pass along along the valley's length. The silent assault begins again as a tank from each rank is suddenly consumed by internal fires in the path of each fighter. Both then simultaneously break left and right to fly west boosting to 6G and going atmospheric.

As the dust disturbed by the violence of the fighters wake eddies and small rocks still skitter down the valley sides Prerna sees a variation in the fighters' perfect symmetry. She's absolutely sure the southern bound fighter waggled its wings as it approached the SEMC trench line just before it turned and burned.

Kit receives two near simultaneous calls from the IFV and the SEMC "Gunship" launch "Permission to open fire, sir?" and "Fast movers are away. We are inbound to pound the ground. Put on psy war op one make it loud! Request weapons free in the valley, sir".

From her elevated position Freya gets a grandstand view as the all black fighters blast along the valley below her eyrie
Scouty Int roll on your behalf:
[2d6+3]=8+3=11
These are painted all over black so are someone's Naval fighters. Freya recognises that these are not Imperial fighter marks. They also perform as if Imperial standard tech so are most unlikely to be local builds.

Everyone else: Prerna Kit & Dzofin can make an "Identification" roll if they so desire.

Every military officer in the valley is under no doubt that someone just gifted them an airstrike. It was very efficient and the fighters were likely armed with "starship lasers" which would just eat low/mid tech AFVs for breakfast... and they did.

[helvorn]

Dzofin howled and pumped his ACR as the most important tank blew up from his attack. The plucky or insane Vargr thanked his invisible protector with the sniper rifle. Dzofin certainly owed whomever or whatever group was saving his tail with timely shops He stowed the rifle and stood in the stirrups of the grav bike and with his tail held high smacked his behind in a pungent Vargr insult. Dzofin truly could not resist taunting those idiots one more time. With that he wobbled a bit on the bike as it sputtered and coughed. It was time to go to ground in cover somewhere now that his effective weaponry had been expended. Dzofin was after all the very soul of caution and carefully thought out tactics. Truly all of the battlefield could witness his very decisive attack.

Now trailing smoke, Dzofin headed for the infantry dug in around the rocks. He would be safe there and able to move over and check on his pack mates. As the incoming air strike devastated many of the tanks left over following Dzofin's lightning attack he howled again. He watched with an appreciative and professional eye as the fighters pressed home their attack. Surely he had seen or heard of their livery from before.

Spotting

[gurusql]

Kit

Kit attempts to remember the fighter design, but does not seem surprised in there attack, especially since he warned his troops that they were coming. He sets his mic to reach all units that are not in reserve positions, flips the switch, and relays a short message. "This is Cap'n Ghosal - we are now weapons free in the valley. I repeat all units we are now weapons free."

Forward Observer Skill [_2d6+4]=(6+4)=10+4=14
Tactics (Tactics-2 +2, Int B +1) [_2d6+3]=(2+4)=6+3=9
Leadership -2, B INT [_2d6+3]=(2+1)=3+3=6

[joertexas]

"Keep hitting them," Prerna instructs her team. "Watch for friendlies, especially that insane Vargr." Prerna highlights his position in her battle map, and focuses her fire to cover him - she assumes that a female would have more sense than bravado.

[BackworldTraveller]

Freya calls to her team...Watch out for any anti-drone fire - we still need to keep an eye out for anyone organising effectively - so keep the feed to HQ operational. And watch for enemy chatter that might inspire their minions to a useful effort.

In her scrape, she keeps her head down, checks the screen for any group that may be heading up towards her and checks her weapon, again. Freddy, don't you get shot because you can't resist looking. These screens are enough for now. Same for the rest of you.

Reaching into her belt-pack, she offers sugar-sticks to the team.

(Her personal drone is sitting in the open with it's Vis-light coating turned on and all transmissions passed along a a fibre-cable)

Rolls to follow when I regain access to the dice roller - if you wish to move things along, please roll for me

[Tiglath]

Frank

Frank winces "I hope the Aslan are being as accurate as they are aggressive. What is Ms Pestis up to? Is the shuttle in any danger in it's current location?"

Voss replies "Sir, I see Ms Pestis as down in the Corp Shuttle and taxiing into our hard shelter. As for the Aslan I'd rate their gunnery and defensive shield management as top drawer - from comparative models I'm running "exemplary" actually. However, their piloting and tactical options from when they went "loud" are like a teenager on stim playing a sim game. Hyperaggressive - if, arguably, brutally effective. The Aslan Intruder Transport's penetrating high orbit and going atmospheric. That's going to need much more skill than they've shown so far. They've just changed their holo banner to that of Teahleikhoi the Regiment of the Falling Night. Wait, this is a new flight profile... now showing some definitive finesse. Sir, if I'm understanding their culture correctly... I believe the Aslan "Gentlemen" are now kitting up. Someone's soon going to have a very problematic fight on their hands with direct fire support from a warship. I'm feeling a bit sorry for those soulless wonkers that signed up as Corporate Infantry... actually not that much though. You don't work for SuSAG and expect to be doing charity work. Canutes... the lot of 'em without respect, sir".

He gives Frank a grim smile "Sir, we've seen what four of them with second rate gear can achieve. I have an odd feeling that those we had on attachment were just "passing selection". This is their premier unit lead by their Warlord - in person. I think we're about to see what would be described in Collace terms as the Aslan delivering the "Full Monty", sir!"

[Tiglath]

A visual of your air support

Screenshot 2024-08-08 153942.png (45.33 KiB) Viewed 467 times

[helvorn]

A visual of your air support

Screenshot 2024-08-08 153942.png

[Tiglath]

Kit

Kit attempts to remember the fighter design, but does not seem surprised in there attack, especially since he warned his troops that they were coming. He sets his mic to reach all units that are not in reserve positions, flips the switch, and relays a short message. "This is Cap'n Ghosal - we are now weapons free in the valley. I repeat all units we are now weapons free."
Forward Observer Skill [_2d6+4]=(6+4)=10+4=14

As Kit gives the word he sees the enemy armour continue to lurch forward quite possibly because their command tank is destroyed and their deputy commanders have already fallen victim to sniper fire.

He hears Gaughan over the comm "Wait for it! Remember its Lanigan's ball now... pick your partners, stick to your sectors. Wait... fire, fire, fire!". Able echoes the command adding "Fekkin' 'ave it!" as he triggers his own LAW. Across the line LAW rockets leap from the SEMC trenches. First one volley of near twenty and then a second. The MBT's frontal armour shrugs off some hits but the thinner turret roof or deck armour struck from the height advantage of the SEMC positions proves vulnerable to the light warheads as do exposed tracks. The reduced line of tanks is stopped dead as their lightly armoured accompanying APCs' all "brew up" under LAW strikes. The regular stutter of merc auto weapons now joins the battle's noise as squad support weapons and bursts of rifle fire cut down knots of infantry or kill tank crews in the act of abandoning their vehicles. The leading armoured unit is shattered and destroyed as a military force.

At this point the SEMC "Gunship" slips between two peaks in the valley wall to make a run over the second echelon of tanks just as the merc Grunt class IFV opens up with its rapid pulse plasma gun enfilading the armour's line. Actinic bursts of plasma lace through the flanks of MBTs detonating on board ammo while any APCs touched by the deadly blue fire simply immolate together with their on board infantry. Three "barrel bombs" roll out of the gunship's side door to add to the mayhem by scouring infantry from their armoured rides as the pilot holds a momentarily straight and level course over the tank line. Meanwhile the gunship's chin turret autocannon claims an APC K Kill while the door gunners' gatlings hose anyone on foot into pink mist/offal.

Seeing the tactical opportunity Kit calls down a ranging shot from the mortar section on the stricken and tactically "stunned" second line of armour as it holds at the halt and, seeing it strike on target, directs them to "Fire for effect".

The mortarmen, supplemented by SEMC infantrymen so they can crew two 80mm tubes, fire until they are physically exhausted firing off their "excess ammo" (about 200 rounds) in one fearful barrage. Anyone outside a tank in the new "kill box" dies - probably twice over. The chief "artillerist" comms Kit with an exhausted but triumphant "Sir, rounds complete!" while Kit smells the stench of hot barrels and propellant.

Someone with no idea about warfare might complain about it all being somehow "unfair"...

(OOC: Mortars are kinda slow firing huh? https://www.youtube.com/shorts/n7x_IGuLKR4
In WW2 the Royal Artillery recognized that the weak link in the efficiency of a battery was the "squishy gunners" and introduced weight training to improve efficiency).

[Tiglath]

Prerna

"Keep hitting them," Prerna instructs her team. "Watch for friendlies, especially that insane Vargr." Prerna highlights his position in her battle map, and focuses her fire to cover him - she assumes that a female would have more sense than bravado.

Prerna sees that the enemy HQ unit follows their armour past her sniper's positions and deeper into the valley. Meanwhile the "crazy Vargr" having flown clean through the entire enemy formation appears to have crash landed his(?) smoking grav bike about 100m from her position.

Baker comments "Fek, the ruddy Basil's stacked it!" then "Oi oi - it woz just the dust! Fek me 'e's only managed to walk away from that one!"

From across the valley Easy adds "Well 'e's pissed on their strawberries an' given 'em the ravin' 'ump! As well as showin' you out!" After a pause she adds "Ma'am I have a group of some twenty insurgents making a directed approach towards your pos. Can't engage direct due to overshoots but I'll clip their tail".

Beau's urbane acented "Daibei drawl" slips onto the scout sniper net "Ma'am might I remind you that my AT cover section have yet to be engaged? If you'd be so kind we will disoblige these gentlemen of their hostile intentions and recover the downed pilot?"

On the unit net rifleman George grumbles "Fekssakes he's tryin' to get me killed again - ruddy "Gentleman"!" Love's brassy female tones counter with "So, 'e doesn't wipe it on yer curtains after - an' you 'old that against 'im? Put yer spike on an' charge yer weapon, wonker!"

Meanwhile Sergeant Isselbacher of the co-deployed Greys asks "Major, the uitlander is your pilot? Give the word and I will lead my team to bring him in".

[Tiglath]

Freya

Freya calls to her team...Watch out for any anti-drone fire - we still need to keep an eye out for anyone organising effectively - so keep the feed to HQ operational. And watch for enemy chatter that might inspire their minions to a useful effort.

In her scrape, she keeps her head down, checks the screen for any group that may be heading up towards her and checks her weapon, again. Freddy, don't you get shot because you can't resist looking. These screens are enough for now. Same for the rest of you.

Reaching into her belt-pack, she offers sugar-sticks to the team.

(Her personal drone is sitting in the open with it's Vis-light coating turned on and all transmissions passed along a a fibre-cable)

Freya's team hunker down and relay vital realtime/top down battlespace Intel into the SEMC battle computer. Freddy selectively fires his ACR at what he describes as "targets of importunity".

Meanwhile Freya's new mascot proves definitively "grabby" and consumes all offered sugar-sticks resulting in his self built field works rising to the height of a decent "sangar".

[Tiglath]

Dzofin

Now trailing smoke, Dzofin headed for the infantry dug in around the rocks. He would be safe there and able to move over and check on his pack mates. As the incoming air strike devastated many of the tanks left over following Dzofin's lightning attack he howled again. He watched with an appreciative and professional eye as the fighters pressed home their attack. Surely he had seen or heard of their livery from before.

Dzofin manages to convert most of his bike's dwindling thrust into a "flare out" landing that creates enough dust to disguise its inelegance.

The immediate associated problem with his safe landing appears to be the group of twenty angry insurgent infantry who are headed his way from the rear of the "support echelon" through the now clearing "dustscreen" of his own creation.

They wear mismatched civvy and camo gear and are armed with AK variant ACRs. They look "quite put out" if they could currently see you through the drifting dustcloud that might be bad.

[joertexas]

Prerna

Meanwhile Sergeant Isselbacher of the co-deployed Greys asks "Major, the uitlander is your pilot? Give the word and I will lead my team to bring him in".

Prerna purses her lips as she considers the situation for a moment. "Approved, Sergeant. My team will provide over watch for you." She switches to her team channel. "New fire plan. We are covering the Greys while they rescue our new friend. Watch for my designations." She sets up markers on the Greys to join the marker on the Vargr's position, and feeds the same information to T'Lia on the battle computer net.

[helvorn]

Dzofin

Now trailing smoke, Dzofin headed for the infantry dug in around the rocks. He would be safe there and able to move over and check on his pack mates. As the incoming air strike devastated many of the tanks left over following Dzofin's lightning attack he howled again. He watched with an appreciative and professional eye as the fighters pressed home their attack. Surely he had seen or heard of their livery from before.

Dzofin manages to convert most of his bike's dwindling thrust into a "flare out" landing that creates enough dust to disguise its inelegance.

The immediate associated problem with his safe landing appears to be the group of twenty angry insurgent infantry who are headed his way from the rear of the "support echelon" through the now clearing "dustscreen" of his own creation.

They wear mismatched civvy and camo gear and are armed with AK variant ACRs. They look "quite put out" if they could currently see you through the drifting dustcloud that might be bad.

Dzofin again howled in triumph and pumped his rifle over his head as he not only nailed the landing but did so that everyone on that part of the battlefield could see him. The small problem with that was that more way than half of those watching seemed to have something violently against his continued existence. Great actions often came with great notoriety but from the look of the 20 or so angry insurgents rapidly approaching, it was time to cash in his chips for the time being and get the hell to cover. Crouching for a second or two behind the wreck of the grav bike he discharged the entire clip of his ACR at the infantry and patted the bike affectionately. Then he activated his lucky grenade, set it on top of the bike and ran like hell toward the hopefully friendly dug in infantry position. He made great haste while crouched low almost running on all fours while trying to keep the bike between him and 20 fully automatic assault rifles!

As Dzofin runs for his life he has a moment to reflect on the space fighters that had just attacked. Truly they were space rated fighter aircraft and to see one intervene in a ground battle was quite unusual. That also spoke to the resources deployed here against the insurgents. And from the three lobed identification they were talking major power type of resources. Dzofin immediately thanked his lucky stars for throwing him so directly and spectacularly into a battle involving combat units with sponsors or allies or at least kissing cousins of such magnitude. Surely there was a chance to leverage his own charisma in the aftermath of what appeared to be a victory in the making.

[Tiglath]

Prerna

Meanwhile Sergeant Isselbacher of the co-deployed Greys asks "Major, the uitlander is your pilot? Give the word and I will lead my team to bring him in".

Prerna purses her lips as she considers the situation for a moment. "Approved, Sergeant. My team will provide over watch for you." She switches to her team channel. "New fire plan. We are covering the Greys while they rescue our new friend. Watch for my designations." She sets up markers on the Greys to join the marker on the Vargr's position, and feeds the same information to T'Lia on the battle computer net.

Sergeant Isselbacher calls up three of his men and states "Major, we will push out due east and then skirmish south to pick up the uitlander. Keeps us out of your line of fire for the longest most time. Moving now". Prerna hears him brief his men "Dries, Jaco we push out fifty metres then pepper pot south to extract the pilot. Hendrik with me. Ammo? Good. Go". As Prerna is left in utterly no doubt that these are elite light infantry she ponders the amount of time it might take to direct regular troops to attempt this task. The Greys immediately move out seemingly finding cover where there appears to be none and moving in two mutually supporting pairs. Baker mutters "Fekkin' gleamin' battle drill right there. Someone ruddy record that!" He then calls "Covering fire!" and switches his sniper variant ACR to semi auto engaging the insurgents with short bursts. The SEMC scout/snipers smoothly switch roles as their spotters' "Straight" ACRs join in the supporting fire.

[Tiglath]

Dzofin

Dzofin runs in a crouch putting in a burst of speed that opens the distance between him and the pursuit but fast as he is he can't outrun bullets. Something smacks his left shoulder and he staggers forward but keeps weaving as the ground all about sprouts with miniature "dust devils".

Suddenly the grav bike's power plant somehow detonates hurling pieces of the machine across the veldt and accounting for those insurgents nearest to it. Dzofin can't help but vocalize "Wow, now that was lucky!" [OOC: Vargr archaeotech much?!? ]

The explosion's timing perfectly meshes with the opening of well placed sustained covering fire. Glancing back he sees an insurgent collapse through a cloud of pink mist now hanging in the air about him as another drops lifeless - stone dead mid stride from a headshot. The insurgents' enthusiasm for the pursuit dwindles and then utterly evaporates as Dzofin hears the accents of local force troopers closing in punctuated by their own rifle fire. He knows these men by reputation as top quality light infantry. It appears so do the insurgents who halt their advance even as they take ever increasing casualties from very accurate fire.

A crazed insurgent armed with a machete leaps to his feet ten yards away and charges Dzofin through the scrub. Just as Dzofin regrets emptying his mag and fumbles for a reload or at least a viable weapon what must be a hyper velocity round displaces all the dust from his would be attacker's flak vest. Bright blood vents from the dead man's mouth and nose from the overpressure crushing his internal organs as with a faint look of surprise he suddenly seems to realize that he's very dead. As the dead insurgent drops into the scrub Dzofin realises that not only does he seem to have more than one "angel on his shoulder" but, better still, at least one of them is apparently firing a small artillery piece in his defence.

Then Dzofin realizes someone's shouting at him through the waist high scrub. The local dialect reminds him of the Sword Worlders he encountered once on a joint raid. "Hey, Uitlander we saw you waving your FN! Clever! Move north, man. We'll cover!" But a second's pause is followed by "Ready to move, Uitlander? We're twenty meters north of you. Move, move!!!" Then "Covering fire!" The volume of local fire blazes in intensity as Dzofin hears the local FN variant ACRs now firing full auto bursts from very close to him and to the north.

[helvorn]

Dzofin

Dzofin runs in a crouch putting in a burst of speed that opens the distance between him and the pursuit but fast as he is he can't outrun bullets. Something smacks his left shoulder and he staggers forward but keeps weaving as the ground all about sprouts with miniature "dust devils".

Suddenly the grav bike's power plant somehow detonates hurling pieces of the machine across the veldt and accounting for those insurgents nearest to it. Dzofin can't help but vocalize "Wow, now that was lucky!" [OOC: Vargr archaeotech much?!? ]

The explosion's timing perfectly meshes with the opening of well placed sustained covering fire. Glancing back he sees an insurgent collapse through a cloud of pink mist now hanging in the air about him as another drops lifeless - stone dead mid stride from a headshot. The insurgents' enthusiasm for the pursuit dwindles and then utterly evaporates as Dzofin hears the accents of local force troopers closing in punctuated by their own rifle fire. He knows these men by reputation as top quality light infantry. It appears so do the insurgents who halt their advance even as they take ever increasing casualties from very accurate fire.

A crazed insurgent armed with a machete leaps to his feet ten yards away and charges Dzofin through the scrub. Just as Dzofin regrets emptying his mag and fumbles for a reload or at least a viable weapon what must be a hyper velocity round displaces all the dust from his would be attacker's flak vest. Bright blood vents from the dead man's mouth and nose from the overpressure crushing his internal organs as with a faint look of surprise he suddenly seems to realize that he's very dead. As the dead insurgent drops into the scrub Dzofin realises that not only does he seem to have more than one "angel on his shoulder" but, better still, at least one of them is apparently firing a small artillery piece in his defence.

Then Dzofin realizes someone's shouting at him through the waist high scrub. The local dialect reminds him of the Sword Worlders he encountered once on a joint raid. "Hey, Uitlander we saw you waving your FN! Clever! Move north, man. We'll cover!" But a second's pause is followed by "Ready to move, Uitlander? We're twenty meters north of you. Move, move!!!" Then "Covering fire!" The volume of local fire blazes in intensity as Dzofin hears the local FN variant ACRs now firing full auto bursts from very close to him and to the north.

Dzofin growls as he is hit. He takes the damage personally at first but then thinks to himself that a wound would make him more heroic and sympathetic. Dzofin hopes that the mercenaries have this entire sequence on their video. He will have to get copies from multiple points of view for future reference. Again he thanks the invisible snipers and other covering fire for getting him out of one hell of a jam as enemy soldiers drop all around him. An idle thought crosses his mind that he better get paid well for this job because he owes a lot of people drinks and some bar after this is all over. Certainly the large caliber and volume of fire would indicate a thirsty crew and of course high charisma dictates lavish rewards and thank you's.

When the voice calls out he can't help but raise his tail at the complement. That doesn't stop him from running as fast as he can north when the voice tells him to move! It's good to see that the mercenaries recognized the importance of rescuing such a dashing and inspiring figure as himself. Certainly they would gain prestige from rescuing him.