[color=lightblue]"Wouldn't have to watch for your ass if it wasn't hanging out for the Aberrant to chase."[/color]

Howe's reply was calm and level, contrasting the intensity of the violence he was sending downrange into the oncoming threats. The arrival of a Constellation, shouted by the supporting forces, was well received. Howe altered his firing patterns to account for the gaps in her attacks, the empty space between each swing being met with 20mm and scything blasts of buckshot. Ammo reserves were depleting steadily, but not enough to worry him yet. He would worry when he ran out of options to fight with, which hardly ended when he ran out of ammunition. Sabine requested a burst of 20mm, the firing solution received and processed across the display, a quick glance between reloads of the shotgun confirmed they were good. Vickie, one would think almost begrudgingly, allowed the 20mm to swing and bark a precise burst of rounds on target, shredding the already wounded and beleaguered Jetsam while Howe continued engaging the incoming remains of the current batch of threats. It was during this brief gap in firepower that not only was the constellation wounded, but another Pawn leapt for Dunkirk during the same gap.

Only to meet the reinforced grasp of Vickie, catching it by the torso midleap and squeezing, crushing the life out of it before hurling it forcefully back into the remaining Pawns as they were torn apart by the return of the Constellation Commander. About time, and now that the violence had paused for a brief moment, Howe prepared to get moving when the presence of a new threat threw the entire plan into the dustbin. Walking Shrimp, Rook Class, Howe had a particular disdain for that particular breed of Aberrant, but what didn't add up was it arriving now, after months where it could have done so much more work. It was held in reserve, Howe was increasingly certain, to counter just this sort of maneuver. However, that could be mused on later, right now they had marching orders to keep moving. Problem, the infantry and other pilots were in bad shape and would not be able to keep up as they were. Listening to each pilot's reported issues, Howe began speaking firmly, a touch coldly, as he approached the mech with the damaged leg.

[color=lightblue]"If you can't see, fight unbuttoned, being blind will kill you even faster than being exposed, check your manipulators for jams, otherwise your going to have to fight up close. Richie, on my mark I want you to rev the broken leg's hip actuators like you were trying to jump, I'm going to hold the leg in place so you can maintain at least some limited mobility by warping the parts together, maintenance crew will hate me for it though. I can't do anything for your thrusters, but you'll be mobile. Get Kindred to salvage one of the down and out APC's radio kit to act as a patched in fix. Ready Richie? MARK!"[/color]

On his command, Howe jammed the damaged leg back up into the actuator well that normally held the leg in place and moved it smoothly. This was a patch he saw back on New Alexandria, where any mobility was better than none during the fighting withdraws as the planet died around them, the goal going from reclamation to withdraw, to survival and back to a mad escape that couldn't afford to stop moving. It would keep Richie moving, for what it was worth, and once it was done Howe maneuvered Vickie back towards those still able to move and fight under their own power. Then it was desperate survival, now it was desperate prevention, how little things changed. The Shrimp needed resolved, but right now Howe could not readily help with that. Wrong combat package for engaging the thing, and he lacked the maneuverability to meaningfully help engage the Rook. Given the circumstances, he was best kept here holding the line. Compared to the elements that could keep moving on the Princess, he was the slowest, the rest would be able to move significantly faster without having to wait for him.

[color=lightblue]"Commander, I'll hold here and buy as much time for repairs as possible. We'll see what happens from there, ideally catch up before things are decided."[/color]

With that Howe maneuvered his frame to the best spot to protect the most people as he could, noting the current damage reports from his own diagnostics. His armor had taken a beating, ammo was starting to reach the point where he might have to start worrying about repurposing weapons into bludgeons, reactor was looking good though so there was that. Making sure everything was topped off, Howe listened to the howling Aberrant that surrounded them, the sound of more moving in just deciding things for good as he watched the group head off. No, no now was the time for him to dig his heels in, metaphorically, and put himself squarely between the Aberrant and those who were compromised, and he turned off his outbound comms for a few moments reflection as hostiles closed in. Last stands were tricky things, especially buying time for other people to act. By the time you go down, you can't know whether or not your stand meant anything or not, had to hope or have faith, if you still believed in such things.

[color=lightblue]"Right then, let's see if the Aberrant take us seriously or not..."[/color]

With that Howe reactivated outbound comms and stood ready, armor damaged, munitions lower than anyone would like, but unbowed and in the best shape of all the Frames that stayed behind despite the previous engagements. If it was time for him to join the rest of New Alexandria, he'd make damn sure it would cost the Aberrant dearly. So dearly they couldn't divert to protect their Princess, even if he couldn't keep the Shrimp from engaging further. Let them come and see, then, let them come and see.