<strong>Talia Kastuev (Duck)</strong><br/><strong>Dalton</strong><br/><strong>Dalton System</strong><br/><strong>Duchy of Oriente</strong><br/><strong>5 February 3145</strong><br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Everyone<br/><hr/><br/>"Frack!" Talia yelled as she saw the launch plume from the side of the volcano. There was no choice, really, plan C just went out the window, along with D and E--the mercs she thought would make some nice hunting dogs to flush her quarry had just licked a bee's nest. If they go down from artillery fire now, the pirates would turtle and just make demands by radio, their threat could be levied without even leaving their den. Plus she couldn't just leave a bunch of muscle heads to get pounded into an early grave.<br/><br/>She jumped up, running down the slope and scrambling up the rocks of her makeshift stairs to throw herself into the cockpit. One hand spooled up the power plant, armed the weapons and brought her beast of war online while the other opens an all-channel broadcast.<br/><br/>"Hold fire! Hold fire! This is Johannes! The mercs are friendly! Repeat: They support the cause!" It's a bluff as thin as rice paper, but even if it buys a sliver of a second, it should give those high speed units she saw enough time to flank the artillery. Who knows, maybe these pirates are as dumb as they look. Damn her conscience.<br/><br/>In the time it takes her to bleat out the lie, her mech rises from its crouch, ready for action.