Interlude: Tango Leader


Written by Nexan


[OOC: Warning: very strong language!]

TRANSCRIPT FROM THE FLIGHT RECORDER OF TANGO LEADER:

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TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, this is Tango Leader. We are approaching the Westfall interface."

ROC'S NEST: "Roger, Tango Leader. We copy you as approaching Westfall interface. Be advised that target is approximately 45 minutes out from transition zone. Terminate with extreme prejudice. Repeat: Terminate with extreme prejudice."

TANGO LEADER: "Copy that, Roc's Nest." [To the pilots of Tango Squadron:] "Power up disruptors. Smarties [smart missles] primary. Heat-seekers, if we can get an infrared lock."

TANGO FIVE: "Wa-haaa! All I need to know's where to point-aaaand-click!"

TANGO THREE: "I hear ya, my man!"

TANGO LEADER: "Cut the bullshit and look sharp."

TANGO FIVE: "Yessir."

TANGO THREE: "Sorry, sir."

TANGO LEADER: "Here comes the interface. Expect some chop."

[Static burst as VTOLs pass through transition zone.]

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, this is Tango Leader. We are through the interface and in Westfall airspace. Please repeat target's position, we do not have visual contact, over."

ROC'S NEST: "Tango Leader, be advised that we show target directly ahead of your position at 50 clicks and in visual range."

TANGO LEADER: "Negative, Roc's Nest. We do not have visual contact. Anyone got it yet?"

TANGO TWO: "Not a damn thing."

TANGO FIVE: "Just a flat plain, 'cept for that hill up ahead. Hiding behind that, maybe?"

ROC'S NEST: "Tango Leader, be advised: there are no large geographic formations in your vicinity."

[10 seconds of silence]

TANGO LEADER: "[Unintelligble]"

ROC'S NEST: "Please repeat, Tango Leader. We do not copy."

TANGO LEADER: "Ah... Roc's Nest, we have visual contact with the target."

[8 seconds of silence]

TANGO THREE: "Holy Hammer of Thor..."

TANGO TWO: "Jesus."

TANGO LEADER: [To Tango Squadron:] "Stay frosty, people." [To Roc's Nest:] "Ah... Roger that, Roc's Nest. Preparing for attack run." [To Tango Squadron:] "Okay, people, you know the drill: hit'em high and don't shit on the ground pounders."

TANGO FOUR: "Uh... Major? Are those things -supposed- to get that size?"

TANGO LEADER: "That 'major' in my name's not in xenobiology, airman."

TANGO TWO: "No, Reg. They aren't. Aren't supposed to -look- like that, either."

TANGO LEADER: "I'm not getting a reading on this thing. The smarties won't get a lock. Nothing on infrared, either. Go straight line-of-sight, people. We do this the hard way."

TANGO THREE: "Damn."

TANGO FOUR: "S'not like that fucker's gonna be hard to hit..."

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, we have short-range artillery flashes in the immediate vicinity of the target. Please advise."

GROUND FORCES RADIOMAN (AS YET UNIDENTIFIED): "Tango Squadron!" [The sound of a kiss -- presumably upon some religious icon.] "We are being overrun! Request a limited strike to cover our re-" [A pause, followed by a moan.] "Fitzhugh... ah, gods, Fitzhugh... Please... don't make me-" [Sounds of a scuffle, followed by tearing and screaming interspersed with two discharges of a sidearm. Transmitter falls silent, presumably upon unit's destruction.]

ROC'S NEST: "Tango Leader, all ground units currently engaged are to be considered compromised. Proceed with attack run."

TANGO LEADER: "But-"

ROC'S NEST: "Repeat: proceed with attack run."

TANGO LEADER: "Roger that, Roc's Nest..." [To Tango Squadron:] "Break and attack!"

[Sounds of Tango Squadron's first attack run follow, as do the characteristic sounds of the target.]

TANGO FIVE: "HAVE SOME, MUTHAHFUCKAAAH!!"

TANGO TWO: "Christ, Jeke! Pull up!!"

TANGO FOUR: "How can that son of a bitch -move- that fast??"

TANGO TWO: "UP, Zeke! Pull UP, goddammit!"

[Gutteral sound.]

TANGO FIVE: [Screaming.]

TANGO TWO: "JESUS H. CHRIST!!"

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest! We've lost Tango Five! Repeat: Tango Five is down!"

TANGO TWO: [hysterical] "'Down' my ass! The fucking thing -swal-"

TANGO LEADER: [interrupting] "Hold it together, dammit! Son of a bitch... Roc's Nest, this is Tango Leader. Damage from first attack run... ah... indeterminate. Please advise."

ROC'S NEST: "Continue attack until target is destroyed, Tango Leader."

TANGO FOUR: "God..."

TANGO LEADER: "Roger that, Roc's Nest. Coming around for a second pass." [To Tango Squadron:] "Keep your -distance- from it this time, people!"

TANGO FIVE: "Oh GAAAAAAAAWD... HELP MEEEEE...!!"

TANGO TWO: "Ah... ah, Christ, we can still -hear- him! WHY CAN WE STILL -HEAR- HIM??"

TANGO LEADER: "[Unintelligble]. Stay -focused-, god dammit!"

TANGO TWO: "BUT WHY CAN WE STILL HEAR HIM??"

TANGO FIVE: [Screaming.] "Oh, JESUSSSSS... Oh GOD ithurtsithurtsithurtsithurts..."

TANGO THREE: "We've gotta get him -out- of there! Maybe... oh, Odin... maybe we can-"

TANGO LEADER: "You've got your orders, airman! Finish your turn and let's kill this fucking thing!"

TANGO FIVE: [Extremely shrill screaming, followed by the sound of Tango Five's sidearm discharging.]

[Sounds of missle launch and disruptor fire, followed by an unidentified sound, presumably originating from the target.]

TANGO TWO: "It's opening that... opening... HOLY SHIT!!"

TANGO LEADER: "Break off!!"

[Sound of disruptor cannon fire, presumably from Tango Three and Four.]

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, we have bogies! I repeat, we have bogies! Multiple contacts... organic fliers... a kind of swarm-"

[A shuddering sound, as of multiple small impacts.]

TANGO FOUR: "Oh, shit... SHIT!! They're getting sucked into the intake!"

TANGO THREE: "In the cockpit! They're in the cockpit with me!! Odin, they're tyring to-" [A hissing sound, followed by screams.] "Get'em off! Get'em off me!!!" [Sound of multilple sidearm discharges, followed by an explosive rush of wind as Tango Three's cockpit depressurizes.]

TANGO TWO: [Sobbing.] "Oh god... oh god... oh god..."

TANGO LEADER: [To Tango Two:] "Christ... Okay, that's it." [To Roc's Nest:] "Roc's Nest, this is Tango Leader. Tango Three and Four are down. Request permission to switch to atomics."

ROC'S NEST: "Negative, Tango Leader. Use of atomics is -not- authorized. Repeat: use of atomics is -not- authorized. Westfall is under the jurisdiction of the Navajolands. Use of atomics is forbidden by treaty."

TANGO LEADER: "Then we need some -support-, dammit!"

TANGO TWO: "Fuckin'-A we do..."

[A burst of disruptor fire.]

ROC'S NEST: "We copy that, Tango Leader. We're working on arranging some mage support stat. Westfall axioms disadvantageous to staff spellcaster. Meantime, a platoon of mecha is en route to your position, ETA: 7 minutes, with some local supers flying cover. And we have some other freelances on the way as well-"

TANGO TWO: "What-? God, what's happening -now-?"

[Static burst.]

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, this is Tango Leader. We are experiencing anomalous weather conditions. The cloud deck [Static burst]ing... ah... purple."

ROC'S NEST: "Sit tight, Tango Leader. Sounds like some help h[Static burst]."

TANGO TWO: "[Static burst]orm cloud!"

TANGO LEADER: "Ah... Roc's Nest, [Static burst]tning from the [Static burst]king the target repeated[Static burst]."

ROC'S NEST: "[Static burst]agon's cloud. I repeat: Stay clear of the [Static burst]."

TANGO LEADER: "Tango Two, proceed on a bearing north-north[Static burst] the clear."

TANGO TWO: "What?? What?? [Static burst] to go!!"

[A pause.]

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, this is Tango Leader. We have your supers [Static burst] mecha and are engaging [Static burst]."

TANGO TWO: "It's... ah, [Static burst] Major, it's -dividing-...!"

[A pause.]

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest, be advised, we now have -two- targets. Repeat, we now [Static burst]."

TANGO TWO: [Sobbing.] "[Static burst]d, no... no... no..."

TANGO LEADER: "Four tar[Static burst], Roc's Nest."

TANGO TWO: "Fuck this [Static burst]therfucker out right fucking [Static burst]!!"

TANGO LEADER: "Jerry! Where the [Static burst]ing?? Get back in form[Static burst]!!"

TANGO TWO: [Muttering, perhaps in prayer.]

[Alarm sirens.]

TANGO LEADER: "Roc's Nest! Roc's Nest! Tango Two has hot [Static burst]mics! Repeat: Tango Two has hot atom[Static burst]!!"

TANGO TWO: [Laughing.] "Whoa! Look what [Static burst] did to Mr. Fancytights down there! Well, let's see how those [Satic burst]ike -this-..."

TANGO LEADER: "Jerry, I am -ordering- you to pull out of that [Satic burst]ive right fucking now! Stand down on those [Static burst]ics, god dammit!"

UNIDENTIFIED MECHA PILOT: [Screams in background.] "Tango Leader! What the [Static burst] of yours -doing- up there??"

TANGO TWO: "...and you shall know my [Static burst] is the LORD...!"

TANGO LEADER: "[Static burst]erry..."

[Extended burst of white noise.]

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- END TRANSCRIPT -


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