[@deia876lat]

The next few seconds seemed to last an age as Nena waited for the girl to grab her outstretched hand while the towering bow of the frigate loomed ever closer. Much to Nena's surprise however, the girl only shook her head in response as she continued trying to move the refugee ship out of the way.

“I CAN’T!” She cried out through gritted teeth. Her head nodding towards the opening that lead down into the ship’s hold.
“More…people…on board.”

[i]You've got to be kidding me[/i], Nena thought as she looked in the direction pointed out to her then back towards the girl, her tattoos glowing brighter and brighter with each passing moment.

“Get…them…OUT!” She said as the skin on her arms started to show cracks.

Still drained from her assault upon the Vaimese frigates earlier, Nena was reluctant to push her limits any further lest it meant endangering herself. She was a mercenary after all, only in it for the reward and she had already accomplished her task of slowing the enemy down. Then again however, she was not so black hearted that she would ignore the girl giving her all to protect the people on board the falling airship.

"Gaia's ass, fine," Nena said as she jumped onto the deck of the barge. "Petra, get ready to catch us!"

The roc swooped down beneath the airship as Nena ran passed the girl and into the hold, shouting out to everyone gathered below, "C'mon folks. Cavalry's here, now get your asses moving!"


Just as she spoke however, a sickening lurch of screaming metal sounded behind her as the frigate finally made contact, relentlessly plowing through the side of the barge as though there was nothing in the way at all.

[hr]
[@Omni5876]

After numerous interruptions and lengthy pursuit from Vaimese soldiers, the Silver Spider had finally made his way to the rear of the frigate where he saw Arn taking cover behind a pillar. The battlemage raised a hand and Leo raised his own in return, mistaking it for a greeting, but then he saw what was around the pillar and realized what the gesture actually meant.

"Oh sh-" Leo had time to say before a barrage of machinegun fire rained down upon him, most of the bullets bouncing off his armour before he could bring his sabre up to defend himself.

Fortunately, none had penetrated or struck his head, but almost all the rounds he did receive were aimed centre mass and by the time he managed to scramble his way over to Arn's side behind the pillar, the armour plates covering his torso had mostly been shot off or dented in.

"Looks like we're in a bit of a tight spot," Leo grunted as he peeled away what was left of his cuirass, leaving his nerve suit exposed underneath. Though the artificial muscle fibres proved adequate against all but the highest calibres, it did nothing to protect against high explosives and Leo hoped to Gaia that the enemy had none on hand.

"There's more behind us," he said as he wiped away the blood trickling down from the side of his head. "Damn good shooters too. Better than pirates anyway. How are you holding up?"