[hr][CENTER][h1][u]Elliot Braide //[/u][color=007236][u] ROOK[/u][/color][/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/Bsn2Y7i.png[/img][H1][i]Ensign[/i][/h1][/center][hr]

[h1][b][i]THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.[/i][/b][/h1][hr]
[h2][b][i]THUMP THUMP THUMP[/i][/b][/h2][hr]
[h3][b][i]THUMPTHUMPTHUMP[/i][/b][/h3][hr]

The Fafnir had swooped in from on high and struck down the mighty in one fell swoop. Flashes of light warning flashes painted a mural of colors across the sweat laden face of Braide all whilst the rush of blood filled his ears and his heart beat quicker and quicker into a crescendo of panic. Chaos had unleashed itself upon them in what had felt like the blink of an eye. Rook had felt so high, reeling from his first confirmed kill as well as feeling like a mighty hero for his and Commie's efforts swooping in to save the two destroyers and their beleaguered defenders. 

[b][i]THUMPTHUMPTHUMP[/i][/b]

His brain was still struggling to process how quickly the scenario had changed. One moment that pilot, sorelson or something, had been thanking them. Then he was gone, Braide had instinctively banked away from the Sentry as it's reactor went but barely a second later and the forward destroyer was nothing but a ball of fire and debris. Instinct carried Braide through a handful of evasive maneuvers but they were sloppy and uncoordinated. Indicators on the HUD informed flashed as radio comms were received, likely orders. Braide couldn't hear a thing over his beating heart and some sort of roaring sound that seemed to eclipse his ears. A small indicator lit up informing him that his flight suit was handling the waste, fortunate for him that technology kept piss from running down a man's leg in situations like this. A small part of him knew that he was panicked, freaking out, and entirely off the lamb at the moment. That part screamed from deep within like a prisoner deep beneath the earth peering at the barest hints of light through the most out of reach window. 

[i][u]thumpthumpthump[/u][/i]

Everything was moving so fast, Braide's own thoughts were rushing by so quickly that he could barely make sense of them. They’d spent hours drilling at the academy about emotional control and regulating your fear and controlling panic. Braide knew at that moment that most of it hadn’t really meant shit. Or at least that was how he was feeling, something about the scope of destruction had shaken him to his core. The Fafnir was beyond anything he'd encountered in simulation and the sheer fact that within seconds it had claimed such a massive death toll on the battlefield terrified Braide. Something of that caliber would erase him as if he'd never existed and the very thought chilled him. Braide's display had highlighted and magnified the offending weapon and as much as the logical side of Braide knew he had to act it was easily overpowered and overwhelmed by the emotional side of him that knew that the next shot would be meant for him. Already he could see the glowing of the barrel as it prepared to fire.

[i][b][u]THUMPTHUMPTHUMP[/u][/b][/i]

Braide was practically frozen. Technically he was still flying evasively but his body was on autopilot while his brain attempted to contend with the meltdown and the overwhelming sense of fear and panic he was struggling through. A flash of light that Braide was sure signaled the end of his story suddenly changed. The barrel of the Fafnir's cannon splintered and exploded unexpectedly and sent the Fafnir twirling off of its prior trajectory.

[color=007236]“FUCK YES!!!!!!”[/color] He hollered unexpectedly as he let out a breath he’d had no idea he’d been holding. Immediately the rushing in his ears diminished and the pacing in his heart began to feel less weighty. The wave of emotions that he experienced was like the bursting of a dam. Braide surged forward with a whoop and a holler as his terror and fear expunged from him in a sudden wave of adrenaline. He threw the Venerator into a series of high G maneuvers to get himself back into the game as he sought to use the destroyer's lower side as cover while he attempted to gather his bearings once more.

[color=007236]"Rook reporting. I'm not going to beat around the bush, I'm a little shook up. I'm back in the saddle though, Commie what's our plan of attack?"[/color] Braide asked as he started attempting to make sense of the battlefield once more.