<blockquote><div><cite>Goblin wrote:</cite>â€˜<span style="font-style: italic">Asmodeus. An unknown object has approached battlefield vicinity. No weapons evident. Should we hail?</span>â€™ <br/><br/>â€œNaw, leâ€™ momma â€˜andle it. We got our own proâ€™lems. Open all channels. Switch to manual control.â€ The locked panels and sticks came to life. One hand tapped rapid successions of keystrokes. Target locks steadied in his vision and the Hornet blazed into life behind enemy lines. â€œ<span style="font-weight: bold">Hornet will draw fire. Light â€˜em up!</span>â€ The open channel broadcast was for the benefit of both ally and enemy. Jack was quick enough to avoid most fire, and Azzy wanted their attention. <br/><br/>â€˜<span style="font-style: italic">The unidentified Mech is engaged in combat with a gunner.</span>â€™ <br/><br/>â€œGood.â€ The enemy of your enemy was not always necessarily your friend, something he knew well enough. Now, Azzy wasnâ€™t going to go off attacking anyone that was helping. But he couldnâ€™t trust that the pilot of the machine, if it was piloted, wouldnâ€™t turn on them as soon as the bigger targets were down. Besides, there were other things to worry about.<br/><br/>His call had drawn the attention of two of the Kamikazeâ€™s and the smaller units peeled off in an attack formation. The Hornet fled in erratic patterns, making the other pilots unsure if it would run or attack. â€œNow yous gone anâ€™ done it. Stupid machine. Ainâ€™ worth jack-shit.â€ Jack had heard it all before, used to its pilot tossing blame. That was exactly how the AI had earned the name Jack, shortened from either jack-shit or jackass, no one was ever really sure. <br/><br/>â€˜<span style="font-style: italic">Weapons system running at full power.</span>â€™ Without guidance, Azzy busy pulling off the maneuvers that kept the Kamiâ€™s from successfully locking on, the Mech retrieved the EMP rifle. Untargeted shots blitzed past them. In the cockpit, Asmodeus swore, his twitchy movements, could anyone have seen them, made him appear disorganized and unprepared. The light pressure was all the Hornet needed to respond. â€œI need the fragginâ€™ pulse bow!â€ <br/><br/>The Hornet came to a full stop, the units following it blowing past at max speed. â€˜<span style="font-style: italic">In this situation, I have gauged the rifle to be the best choice.</span>â€™ By the time theyâ€™d turned back around, the mech was buzzing toward the remaining units. <br/><br/>â€œâ€™eavy gunner unitsâ€™re EMP shielded. â€˜ow theâ€¦â€ Of course. They needed to get rid of their little shadows back there before attempting to use the bow. And Jack doubtless wanted all four of the escort chasing them, so the other pilots could do their jobs.</div></blockquote>