Rescuing Cloud Part 2
Who:  Same as Part 1.
Where: Aboard the Ragnarok, above Midgar airspace.
Why:  In this second installment of the log, our intrepid heros now have to survive
against the menace that is Proud Clod.  Don't read this if you get sick while flying.




CCOM 4000] INFIL: Infiltration will continue towards objective then.

Squall takes the cockpit at a run, a flash lighting the sky through the windows.
"Nida, get us up as soon as everyone's aboard. We need to cover everyone's
retreat against that thing." Said in a rush, he drops into his seat and straps
himself in. Please fasten all safety belts!

Irvine is in his seat almost before Squall is, not slouching this time, heck no.
Belts fastened, he re-plugs into the Ragnarok's communication system,
muttering something into the headpeice, sighing at the freaking static that's
barring things.

Ward drops into his previous seat, belt snapping on and harpoon going onto the
floor, where he holds it under his boot in a powerful grip.

Nida has everything all set and ready to take off when the word's given.
"Ragnarok is ready to go," he replies. "Weapons systems are charged and
online." As Dragonclaw boards, he starts the takeoff. "Any notable things to
watch out for on the enemy machine?"

[CCOM 4000] RAGNAROK: *fizzle* *zzzt* aboard Ragna-- *hisssss* --ering
retrea--*fzzt*

Dragonclaw jogs in, axe still in hand. "Grass stuck to boots. Flying."

Selphie plops down almost n synch with Irvine. Buckle-up! She eyes the lovely,
shiney controls -- glancing to Squall, impatiently. Is her foot tapping at 20
mph? Hoah yeah.

"I don't know it well enough, never seen one before," Squall says tersely, hands
flying over the sensors. "It just went airbourne though, so I hope you were
practing at the 'Hard' level.":

Irvine glances over at Squall, "I can hardly make out what's being said, I hope
this doesn't last long." He actually looks frustrated by it.
      
Terra sets down and buckles up, looking out the window to see what the hell that
thing is. At Irvine's statement, she says, "I'm sorry," in his approximate
direction; she was only following orders. (If it's really her fault.)

Various reports from shortrange communications filter in fromt he instruments
under Squall's hands. "...almost away...we lost some people...no, don't go
back and get him, get going!..."

Squall shakes his head, telling Nida, "Take us up high, but stay in the area."
He looks over his shoulder at Irvine and shrugs. "It should clear up. Thanks,
Terra," he adds, sincerely and sounding strained.

"Not your fault, Terra, it was necessary," Irvine replies with a sigh, hand
against the headpeice again as he rubs at his temple with his free hand. He
wasn't really mad at her for doing it, just momentarily frustrated.
      
Nida adjusts his headset lightly and thumbs a switch on the right handle. HUD
information overlays onto his viewscreen. "Selphie, get ready on the port
cannons, I'll make our first pass facing that side." A shudder rocks the cabin
as the engines boost the craft to closing speeds. "Here we come."

Dragonclaw just keeps standing, holding the axe left-handed. "Are we okay?"
      
Terra smiles and flushes slightly, but nods. . o O ( <*squawk* We kicked ass?>
We kicked ass, yes. )

Selphie only half-listens to the conversation, waiting distinctly for her name
-- and there it is! Without looking up, she nods, in her -element- now.
"Gotcha." BooYAKA, man, booYAKA. Flick, flick. "Ready n'willin'," she bubbles.
She's -more- than ready, staring intently at the console. Yeah, baby! YEAH!

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Infil team, withdraw! Negotiations in progress.

Squall shakes his head at Nida a moment. "Hold," is all he says, speaking into
his com.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: *static*.... Ragnarok crew alright, repeat, alright.
Unknown number of injuries and casualities. Highwind, what negotiations?

Irvine glances over at Selphie, a smile tugging at his lips to draw him out of
that sudden negative mood. He watches her with a bit of pride shining in his
eyes, yeah, now *that's* the woman he fell in love with.

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Sephiroth is close to getting Cloud with no bloodshed on our
part.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Is Kefka there?
      
[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Affirmative. He and Heiddegger are out for blood.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Infiltration falling out. We had token resistance, and could
have broken through... <Sounding very displeased>
      
[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Try to be a little clearer, Highwind. Infiltration
commander, your call. No general order for retreat yet.

Terra sits up a bit more and turns her head to peer out of the window, taking
off the damned bandanna now that they're inside again. No security threat from
it now. "What did they -build- that for?" It's bigger than a Gigas...
nothing's THAT big.

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Affirmative. Heiddeger and Kefka are out for Sephiroth's
head, and Aerith's. Reeve is holding them off. Hojo and a cloaked figure are
also in the room. Many guards abound as well.

Squall mutters into his compiece a while, frowning. "I don't know what's going
on, the rescue team is in -negotiations- with ShinRa right now. Infiltration
seems alright, holding." He glances out the viewport at the distance Clod.

Nida glances to Squall momentarily, and then banks the craft to the right.
"Aborting intercept run," he acknowledges, as the Rangarok pulls away into a
holding loop. "Watch for incoming file from that weapon."

Listening in on the conversations going on over the commlink, Irvine leans back
in his chair, turning slightly to look at Squall in askance, just as confused
over all of it. Negotiations? The hell?
      
[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Garden, report.

Dragonclaw's snout wrinkles. "Why are they doing /that//"

Selphie, very visably, flinches at Squall's 'hold' order. Dammit! She sits back
in her seat a bit, but not much. Heel still tapping rapidly on the ground, she
wants to -attack- that stupid thing! Rrrr! Negotiations, schmegotiations.
Let's blow this thing -up-!

"I don't know, they're having an argument up there," Squall answers, frowning at
the far wall. "Kefka's there too, we can't hit him right now, either."

[CCOM 4000] GARDEN: Garden is preparing for final evacuation process. Gunships
have cleared the harbor points with minimal difficulties to the task at hand.
We will departing for the target area in less than ten minutes.

And on both the displays and the visual, Proud Clod hovers up, not going
anywhere, it seems. Just... watching. Letting the airship know it's there, it
seems.
      
[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Affirmative, proceed as planned.

Terra snaps her head towards Squall for a moment at the mention of Kefka. They
can't shoot him now? ...darn.

At the mention of Kefka, Irvine noticably turns back around. No shots at him,
now, but later...?

Nida keeps the craft on a steady holding course, not really going anywhere but
not going anyhwere predictably either.

Squall looks thoughtfully at the viewscreen, turning to Nida. "Take us in
carefully, let's make sure everyone got away." He seems just as annoyed at the
turn of events as anyone, but they -did- lose some lives back there.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Status reports. What's going on over there?

...All the more reason to blow it -up-! Rrr. Selphie's -very- impatient right
now, as if it weren't painstakingly obvious. Do not tease the little hellion.
"...Squall..." She -meant- it to sound worried, for the people that didn't
mayhaps make it... but it sounds like a little -whine-.

Squall glances to Selphie and shakes his head. "We're to cover the retreat,
before we blow out the building. if Kefka's up with everyone, we can't get him
right now. So we wait."

Terra doesn't try to Draw from the cursed thing, she's not that magic-happy. She
does, though, admire it from this excellent vantage point, since she's rawther
partial to big war machines. Mmmm. "How bad were the losses?"

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: We have withdrawn from inside of building, encountering
unknown resistance.

Dragonclaw objects, "We can still hurt Kefka. He is important, yes? Should drop
people in, let them kill him and not the others."

Oh hey, that's cool, shoot Kefka with the Ragnarok. Irvine relaxes again when he
hears that. One of these days he's really gonna have to confront that fear of
sniping he seems to harbor. But, he prefers not today. Turning slightly, he
pssts at Selphie.

Squall touches a button and listens a moment, before wincing, slightly. Trying
not to wince more. "They're counting heads now. At least twenty are missing."
      
Ward stares out the front viewport of the Ragnarok grimly, at Proud Clod...this
is one of those days it does NOT pay to have a small albeit heavy short-range
weapon.

Nida glances at the HUD, tapping a few keys to get certain scanner readings on
the Clod. "We'll give it a hello, then. Selphie, keep an eye on it, but don't
shoot first." Twisting the craft around, the Ragarok swoops for the Clod on an
arc that will take it fairly close (as far as giant war machine ranges are
concerned, anyway).

"Just work on giving us a look at the retreat path," Squall murmurs to Nida.
"Don't piss it off more than you have to." Never mind that, as they come
closer, their vessel is larger. That gun is bad.

Irvine sits back again, must not distract weapons girl, nope nope.

Dragonclaw still hasn't bothered to put his axe away. "Can we make faces at it
out the window?"
      
Terra speculates, "Is it remotely controlled or piloted?" She hopes that it's
not an independent entity, because - wait. No, why would they build something
on the scale of Atma Weapon? That wouldn't make any sense.

Proud Clod hovers... simply awaiting. This 'airship' may prove a challenge...
but it is ready. The eyes flash and the most of the damage is superficial on
it. Clod looms and then... raising it's arms foward... and soars for the
Ragnarock.

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Cloud and Sephiroth have entered combat. I am guarding
Aerith.

Selphie blinkblinks, turning to Irvine for a moment, looking curious. What,
what? Then -- ack! Her name! She looks to Nida, nodnod!'ing -- sorry, Irvy --
and looks back to her display, intently. Don't shoot -first-... But second,
yes? Squall's words did kind of quiet her, though. But she wants to know what
Irvine was going to say. c_c Agh! "S'comin' for us, you guys," she announces,
for those who are blind, or aren't watching a screen. "Shoot now? Nownow?"

Irvine sits up suddenly, mouthing 'WHAT?' though it's clear he'd love to say
that into the commlink. He swivels around to look at Squall.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Keep the objective of this mission in mind unless the
client says otherwise.

Squall is also shaking his head at what he's hearing in his ear, and mutters,
"Cloud was rigged to fight them, we knew this."

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Affirmative

Irvine didn't, actually, musta missed that part altogether. He frowns, then
shrugs and turns back around again.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Inflitration Leader is down, orders? <Explosions in the
background>
      
...and looking up at the viewscreen, Squall purses his lips. "Selphie, if it
looks like it's warming up, like it did last time, open fire. Nida, when it
does, evasive action, but give her openings if you can. Defensive, we're not
here to fight with their machines."

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Infiltration, unknown resistence?

Dragonclaw hesitates. "Should someone be in other area of ship to watch from the
other direction?"

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Resistance neutralized.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: What's your status on full retreat, Infil group?

Nida calmly throttles down to manuvering speed and pulls the Ragnarok aside in a
general keep-away manuever, not letting it close in too much. "Right. Catch us
if you can."

Terra remains quiet, looking out the window and tapping fingers against the side
of the console nervously.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Impeded. Our ride home is was used to neutralize the
resistance...

Selphie acutally lets out a little whine this time -- but does as she's told.
"Yes, -sir-," she gurdges. Oooo. This might get interesting. Grumble. She
watches, INTENTLY, however, the display. If a bird so much as flies by, she
might somehow translate that as the machine warming up.
      
Squall is listening again to his com, and snaps a look to Ward. "Infiltration
team can't get out, heavy resistance," he reports, more for the general
knowledge, but... the look he's giving Ward is not general. He's thinking
rapidly.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: *long pause* Acknowledged. Working out a plan.

Irvine leans heavily against one side of his chair, looking over his shoulder
while tilting to the side instead of actually swiveling the chair around
again. "We gonna go in after them?"
      
"We might have to," Squall mutters, scowling thoughtfully. "We gotta get past
that thing, get out, and get in to help. He lifts the compiece again.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Estimation on your resistance, Infiltration?

Irvine nods thoughtfully, glancing back at the console a moment, still leaning
to one side heavily.

Nida says "Getting past it isn't a problem. However, keeping it from following
is."

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Resistance negative. Two members now down, Leader is
active... unknown severity of wounds on all counts.

Selphie doesn't really concentrate on the words from Squall, but does piece
together that somethings wrong on the inside. "...Well, if we blow it UP, we
won't have to get past it!" Can't you see her logic?!

Proud Clod soars high though the air. It soars though the air like a titanic
comet... streaking after the odd airship. The Cannon points straight ahead of
the flying Behemoth and it's clawed hands Cannon points straight ahead of the
flying Behemoth and it's clawed hands stretch and flex. The end of the cannon
begins to glow a deep blue... a sphere of high powered energy forming around
it. The metalic, deep voice ringing out through the cockpit speakers.. "Leave
the area or be fired apon. You are tresspassing in Midgar Airspace. Leave or
be Destroyed." It is toneless and totaly artificial... which gives even more
disturbing horror to the scene.
      
Squall listens to his com, still frowning. "We're going to have to go in." And
not only does a party selection screen pop up, but a screen for checking
junctions -and- a nagging save screen. One of those bosses, huh?

Terra says, "What's powering it? There's no way it can be operating on regular
power." Of course, 'regular power' here means electricity. "It might be
operating on Magitek..." The point here being that it would be a Bad Thing to,
oh, poison all of Midgar and half the ocean with toxic residue.

Selphie does, oh yes, she does, notice PC's actions. "FINALLY," she breathes,
wasting not one second after it raises the canon towards the Ragnarok.
"Whoo-HOO," says she, as she indeed presses all the shiney, nessacary buttons
for firing blowy-uppy things at the Proud Clod. "Permission to fire? Granted!"
Booyah! It's -on-, now. Cue the Mortal Kombat theme on her player's playlist.

From the reports coming in through shortrange, it seems the troops have indeed
made it to the gunboats and are away. But, "Wait!" Squall's thinking about the
choices here. "We need to split up."

Nida calmly hikes up the throttle and spins the Rangarok off the the starboard
side with a rather jolting quickness. No concern for passenger comfort applies
when one's being targetted. "Switch to the tailguns, Selphie. Looks like we're
going to be chased in." Curling a second time, he starts the Ragnarok on an
eventual approach towards the middle of Midgar.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: We may have to withdraw, command. <Sounds displeased with
this> If we are going to continue, we would either have to leave our wounded
behind, or have only one member to send.

Irvine cranes his neck to see one of the screens, realizing the Proud Clod is in
fact bearing down on them. Looks like Selphie gets her fun after all. Huh?
What's this? Splitting up. Distracted from the viewscreen, he turns finally in
that chair to blink at Squall.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Who's.... wait, we're sending people in for you. Report
exact position and hold.
      
Terra grips the armrests as the craft dodges and weaves, making the pit of her
stomach go ooowaaah. She also looks over at Squall, blinking as well. Yep,
nothing ever goes as planned.
      
[CCOM 4000] INFIL: We're presently moving wounded to cover.

Squall shakes his head, turning to Nida. "Draw it away, we're going to need to
circle back and drop some of us off. We're going in to get the infiltration
team, they're wounded. Get that thing to follow us, fire at will, just... we
need to get to them in a hurry."

Selphie only hears Nida, now. And the battle music, playing in her head.
Flipping a few switches, she bubbles, "Roger that!" She does, however, await a
response from Proud Clod -- it's in her 'programming,' so to speak. She's
gotta learn it's tricks and movements, booyah. But her hands are -ready- to
fire. Just a cetimeter closer to the button, and they'll be pressing them. She
-does- hear fire at will, though. Woah -- Selphie's got a cocky little toothy
grin. Scary.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Affirmative. Report position when you know so we know where
to come in.

Irvine chews at the underside of his lip, remembering *who's* on that team,
namely Laguna. Not good. He represses, twice, flat out asking Squall to let
him go in, no, not his decision, he's a student too, after all. Distraction...
need distraction... Selphie! The gunman glances over at her, admiring her
again, even with the evil toothy grin.
      
Squall glances to Nida. "Uh, where are you going? We need to draw that thing
away..."

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Believe Leader may be suffering from blow to the head, we're
still directly outside the ShinRa building. Given our situation, we probably
will not be able to move very far from there.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Affirmative, we're coming for you.
      
Nida scans the terrain ahead, and settles on a canyon created with the importing
of the Veldt and other features. "We'll draw it towards there, make a run
through the canyon and then pull out and boost it to Midgar. Should give us
enough of an interval to make a drop." Slashing to the side, the Ragnarok
pivots and soars for it, without outdistancing the Clod too much.

Ward sits, looking concerned and all at the mention of a wounded infiltration
team. Ward mentally kicks himself for not having been there...of course.

Terra says, looking towards Squall, "What sort of injuries?" She is, after all,
the designated nurse_lady for this entire shindig. She has her bandaids and
her Cures all ready for action; just don't lose any major organs, you'll be
fine.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Rescue team, report please... we just heard a large explosion
and scream.

[Battle!] Kail says, "Garden is airborne. ^_^"

"Seems Barret got a blow to the head and is down..." Squall frowns and glances
to Irvine. "Explosion and a scream...?" He looks to Nida and the instruments.

Irvine shakes his head at Squall, "I don't know..." Sounds just as bad to him.
"Wait for the report from them, I guess."

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: Kefka is engaging me magically *booms everywhere* I'm trying
to keep Aerith out of his way. She's the one screaming.

Irvine winces, Kefka again, yeah this guy's just *gotta* go. He looks to Squall
again, "You wanted me to take this guy out?"

Proud Clod soars after the Airship... optics narrowing into slits on it's small
head... the Cannon continues to gather energy at it's end. Then suddenly...
/FWOOM!/ A /massive/ blast flies from the end of the Cannon, heading for the
Ragnarok. Alarms politely go off all along the console, informing Nida and
crew that there's incoming attack.

Proud Clod having send it's massive blast foward... it is caught by the Railguns
and the 'Airships' own Cannon... it shudders back mid air... veering and
swerving slightly as it's own blast and shudders back mid air... veering and
swerving slightly as it's own blast and The Ragnarock's knock it off
balance...
      
[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: (...)

[CCOM 4000] RAGNAROK: We're being fired on over here.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Ragnarok crew attempting to draw off Proud Clod to get in
to Infiltration team. Rescue team... we'll try.

Dragonclaw lumbers back in, having missed much of the firefight - and sick from
the maneuvering, so hope there're janitors around to deal with the Ragnarok
later - but he's still coming back up.

Selphie hears those alarms, and -sees- the attack. Bracing herself
instinctively, she also adds -- though it needn't be said -- "Incoming!"
Someone -always- has to say it. In the meantime, she lets loose with the
tailguns, since the PC seems to be 'off balance' from both the incoming and
outgoing attack. "Rrrrrrg!" Yeah, Selphie growls. It's endearing, really, in
an evil sort of way.

Squall grips something in anticipation of Nida's wild moves as the ship and Clod
exchange blasts.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: We can move our injured. Relocating to allyway near ShinRa
building/

Terra grabs the front of her own panel as well, starting to get some of that
green tone that her hair has naturally. She can deal with flying, yes, but
this is... nauseating, even if it does make good sense tactically. Ergh...
those party snacks probably tasted better on the way down than they would on
the way up.

Here we go.... Irvine grips the armrests of his seat, as Selphie announces the
obvious 'Incoming!'. He squints at the console as another communication comes
through.
      
Nida calmly stays on course and lets the Rangarok get blasted... oh, uh wait.
No, what he's -really- doing is continuing to keep that whole evasion
manuvering thing going. His selected vector is upward, as there's more room to
manuever that way and the Ragnarok isn't as optimzed for lateral evasions
anyway. The Rangarok's big, and the beam fired at it's big, and it might not
quite be a clean evasion.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: *sounds of dull explosions, Selphie's wild cries of
"Rrrrrrg!" and a number of polite ship alarms* Acknowledges.

Dragonclaw is easily sick, apparently, but scales don't show much and he
/already/ lost lunch, so he settles for half-sitting and half-collapsing in a
corner, wedging himself in as tight as he can.

Squall's grip is a good one, and at Nida's evasions, he manages to keep an eye
on the viewscreen. "Keep him coming, Nida." He doesn't need to tell Selphie to
keep firing, of course.

Proud Clod veers to the side though the air... the chainguns rattile of his
sides... spining slowly though the air the Behemoth comes for another pass...
this time his front cannon doesnt charge... the hands lower slowly from the
wrists... Revealing small energy cannons... these begin to rapidly fire at the
Ragnarock... peppering the air about it with small explosions.

Terra groans softly as the up and down sensation wriggles through her stomach,
like she just ate a small but energetic baby Midgar Zolom. She lolls her head
back, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, hoping that it'll pass or that
the ship will get blown up and thus solve her problems. Why can't airships
just be zeppelin-style instead of like this?

Nida keeps Rangarok headed for the canyon in a roundabout fashion that include
more than a few inverted barrel rolls. Gritting his teeth faintly, he keeps
the controls steadied as the flak explosions jostle the craft around. "We're
almost there. Keep an eye on that mech -- if it doesn't follow us into the
canyon, we'll make the break right away."

Selphie erghs, one eye shutting as she anticipates Proud Clod's attack. She
rises from her seat a bit, even, as she continues the steady action of FIRING
like a mo' fo'. "Don't -even-!" she shouts at the screen. -You should see her
play video games.- "More incoming!" She -doesn't- say 'hold on to your butts.'
She doesn't even hardly feel the airship moving. Ratatatatatat.

A host of alarms wail now, as the ship shudders with various hits. The shielding
is good on the Ragnarok, but that's -gotta- hurt. Nida's fancy flying is
working alright as he heads for the canyon. Squall, gripping his chair arms
with white knuckles, nods mutely at Nida's report.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: It appears that the ShinRa building has gone to "Lockdown"
mode. Entrances at ground level have been sealed.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: *over HEAVY vibration in the background, and the voice of
Squall sounds distinctly like he's being shaken in a nutshell*
A-a-affirmative. S-s-s-still trying to shake the m-m-machine. *crackle*

Dragonclaw urps but stays wedged exactly where he is. "Let this stop please
please please..."

Proud Clod weaves after them, its hands raising... it doesnt seem to be gaining
ground unfortunatly... but losing it. Proud Clod is a fast, but the Ragnarok
is faster. Clod doesnt soar down into the canyon, instead taking the higher
ground it soars up along the Canyons rim, one of it's four hands snaging a
massive boulder and hurtling it after the Ragnarok. Crude... but effective.

Holding onto his seat tightly, Irvine's not as bad as Terra, but he's definately
gritting his teeth, eyes squeezed shut as the Ragnarok is maneuvered through
several evasive tactics. The commlink isn't forgotten, but hey, Squall's
already answered for him.

Proximity alarms now blare; something solid incoming! "Nida..." Squall says
through clenched teeth and the vibration of the ship.

Ward has been sitting here hanging onto his seat the entire time, since he
really has nothing else he can do. But that's okay, he hasn't got a free hand
now anyway.
      
Terra leans to one side and, very discreetly (other than a soft, pained groan),
is sick. Then she slumps back in the chair, looking utterly miserable and just
waiting for it to end before her brain gets rattled out of her head by all of
this.
      
When Selphie "Gyeah!"s, instead of shout something cocky at the display,
something -must- be wrong. A -boulder-?! She switches aim, now -- no longer
aiming to attack Proud Clod, but to blow the -boulder- up before it reaches.
Rrg! She's completely focused on that screen, folks. "Piece of--!" No, she
doesn't cuss. Yet.

Dragonclaw was already sick. Right now he's just jammed in a corner, head down
as low as it will go, frill hanging limp around his shoulders as he tries to
settle his stomach. "Stop world. Want to get off."

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: Back off and concentrate on trying to extract Rescue team,
Ragnarok. We are in no immediete danger.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: *the vibration has gotten worse, and the Commander's tone
rather terse* R-r-r-rescue status?

Nida calmly punches in a pair of keys and then thumbs two yoke switches as he
yanks up. Space-capable light warships are aerodynamic. Boulders aren't. With
a shuddering roar, Ragarok's boosters ignite, the thrust force battering the
confined space of the canyon and throwing dust and debris into the sky. All
the force has nowhere to go but up and out, and riding one singularly large
instance of Newton's Second and Third laws like a bat out of hell the Rangarok
catapults out of the canyon towards Midgar with alarming velocity.
ong distance to Squall: Irvine grins.

Nida glances at a new alarm, the 'what the hell are you doing going this fast in
an low-altitude atmosphere' warning. Quite calmly he ignores it. "If that dust
cloud screens it for a few more seconds, that would be helpful," he observes.
"Are the drop coordinates keyed in?"

The sound is amazing, of course, the viewscreen is momentarily covered in a
cloud of dust and debris, small rocks pelting. The force of acceleration
pushes everyone backwards, into seats or walls, as the red ship erupts out of
the canyon and cloud.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: *noise is down* Rescue party? Report, we're on our way
back.

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: <very quiet, might get lost in other noise> I am losing my
voice for the moment, will hand unit over to someone who can speak.

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: *explosions and booms. Clashing steel. No verbal response*

Dragonclaw was already jammed in a corner, but now he's being sick. Again.

Irvine opens his eyes as he hears the latest over the comlink, forcing himself
to forget the discomfort of flying at this pace. He turns his head, glancing
at Selphie. She's having fun at least. Then there's the task of looking over
at Squall.. oh forget it, he heard it too.

Squall shakes his head, prying himself out of the back of his chair to leaaaan
forward slowly. Praise for Nida's sharp flying will be remembered, and he
says, shakily, "Infiltration group says they're safe for now, Rescue is in
trouble. Let's head for the ShinRa building." It's probably fortunate that
he's been to nervous to eat, or he'd be tossing his cookies too.
      
Proud Clod looks back as the Ragnarok screeches past him... he slowly begins to
bank roaring back though the air. The Cannon again begins to charge. Clod may
have good speed... but horrible manuverability... it is going to take him a
moment to turn back towards the Ragnarok... giving them time to get to the
city... not alot... but enough.

Terra looks quietly ill, recovering slowly as the insane aerobatics shift to a
more, erm, sensible sort of travel. Had it been much longer, she would've
decorated her console.

Selphie didn't really notice the rest of Nida's manuevers, but this one can
hardly be ignored. Having lifted off of her seat for a moment, she's slam!ed
against her seat, letting out an 'oof!' Eye's half-lidded for a moment, she
scans the display screen. "..." If capable, she still fires into the dust
cloud even as they go the opposite direction, very fast -- glaring, now.
"LUCKY! You're -so- lucky!" She can't be -happy-, she didn't blow the thing
up!
      
"We'll have to get the infirmation team out after this," Squall continues, still
gripping his chair as the ship blasts toward Midgar. "Nida, get the arms ready
in case we need to carry anyone. And... watch for that thing, it's following
us slowly, Selphie."

Nida makes a minor course adjustment, because at this speed minor course
adjustments are the only kinds that don't send you spiralling out of control.
"Would you like a certain floor? If we're doing a quick drop we'd make best
time on the ground or on the top floor... but that mech would get range
quicker on top."

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Rescue team, do you copy! We're incoming to your position,
advise of your status!

Selphie nodnods quickly at Squall -- she knows, that's why she's still firing.
n_n

Dragonclaw stays, mashed in the corner. "Can we just /land/? Now?"

Squall looks to Nida and answers, "The top, they gotta be on the 70th floor,
that's where Reeve has his offices. We'll... have to help them." Somehow.
Blowing the top of the building off has some merit.

[CCOM 4000] GARDEN: *there has been silence from the quarter of Garden itself.
An expected one perhaps, since many orders had to be issued for the final
lockdown. Now, Vincent's voice is heard, terse under the calm demeanor*
"Garden is airborne and moving to the meeting point." *Perhaps however the
reason for this calm delivery is intended to give those having worse luck some
hope that there is something going right.* "Do you wish assistance to be sent,
Command?"

Terra says, in a deathly tone, "Is anyone injured?" The team, the people in the
Ragnarok, anybody. She has to remember her job even if her digestive system
would like to go take a nice vacation at Costa del Sol. Urgh.

Squall scowls at his communicator and stares at the monitors a moment, before
sitting up. He must have had divine inspiration, for he looks almost
-pleased-. "We have a plan. Nida, position us near the top of >this<
building," he calls up an odd raytaced map and pinpoints the ShinRa building.
"Selphie, Terra, Dragonclaw, keep an eye out for that machine or anything else
while we do this. I'll man the robot arms."

Dizzy, disoriented? Maybe, injured, no. Irvine shakes his head, letting himself
relax slightly now that things are finally under a little more control. He
finally looks over at Squall, perhaps just checking to make sure the
Commander's all right. Yep, he is, and obviously has some sort of odd plan.

Dragonclaw lumbers to his feet. "Dizzy," he says, "but fine. Need a mop later.
I'm looking," he says, moving toward the window a bit unsteadily.
      
[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Ragnarok incoming to ShinRa building, uh, pretty fast. If
you can hear me, rescue team, get ready to take advantage.

Nida grimaces slightly. "We'll have to wait until we slow. Detaching the arms at
this speed will change our airflow profile in a way that's not so good." He
checks the map, then nods. "All right, three seconds to decceleration. This
will be a jolt." Considering that he didn't really warn any of the -other-
jolts, this doesn't sound... oops, your three seconds are up. Paneling extends
from the airframe, and the Ragnarok reacts as if hitting a giant invisbile
bungee net as it slows right over Midgar.

Terra says, "A-all right," as she looks out at her assigned patch of sky... mm,
nope, no giant robots approaching from this direction. Ooh, mako-reactor
steam. Pretty.

Dragonclaw, darn it, was standing. /Standing/. Now he isn't, probably because
he's just gone and went flying into the front windshield; it doesn't break,
being made of sturdier stuff, but the scales scraping against it make an awful
screeching noise. "Okay," he announces, "/Now/ I hurt."

Selphie seems content enough firing at the meanie machine-thing when she feels
it needs to be shot at. But -- she does blink, and double-take toward Squall
for a minute. "--Robot Arms? What the heck're you doing, Squall?" She almost
cuts herself off with some sort of maniacal-type laugh (nyahaha!), again
rising up off of her seat. "Whoooooo~-HOO!" She's really getting into this. Of
course, as she's -again- off of her seat when the jolt occurs, she gets
slammed -back- into her seat. "...Owie."

The stop, though it has warning, tests seatbelts in a severe way. You're all
wearing them, right? The jolt puts the top of the ShinRa Tower just under the
nose of the Ragnarok. Nice, right on a gil.

Luckily, Irvine's never left his seat, so the jolt isn't as bad for him,
especially with seat straps holding him down. Still, he winces slightly.

And with that jolt, Terra does decorate the console. Wiping her mouth off with
her arm, she resumes watching the sky for Proud Clod or PuPu's inevitable
return without comment. Wow. War is fun.

Nida would reorient the Ragnarok around the building a little, but Dragonclaw's
tail is over one of his panels. "Move your appendange, please," he says in a
politely impatient manner while trying to move it himself. "Terra, I think he
may be in need of help."

      
"Nida, hold her steady," Squall grunts, rubbing where the straps kept him from
dashing himself into the console. Hands fly over the controls, and a massive
>kerchunk< sounds, along with motion up front. Robot arms indeed, flex, and
start moving down with the grace of insects.

Dragonclaw manages to get off the windshield, though his complete range of
motion is limited to prying himself off and falling, seated, between the front
panels. "Moved," he says, still dazed. "I am fine."

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Rescue team, we're going to take the roof off. If possible,
advise on status before we act further.

Terra gets out of her seat and staggers over towards Dragonclaw... she could dig
out a bandaid, but she's feeling too damned crappy. This is like being
poisoned, except without the comforting creeping numbness. Instead, she just
kinda gestures vaguely, and produces flashy lights as one of those stocked
Cures goes off. *shimmer!* And then she pats him on the back, with what's
probably reassuring manner. Just don't demand a kiss.

Nida idly keeps the Rangarok steady for Squall to work with the arms, although
when possible he does reorient the ship slightly so that when the Clod does
catch up, it will be facing down the more numerous starboard weapons and not
just Selphie's Tailgun 'o Doom. "Let me know when you need some vertical
thrust, Squall."

The Ragnarok shudders a bit as Squall works the arms. He's having sympathetic
movements, jerking on the controls as, outside the viewscreen, the twin arms
grasp hold of the top of the building and start tugging. Strongly.

Squall nods at Nida's reminding. "Yeah. At my order, take us vertical. That
machine will be here soon. And find seatbelts, everyone!"

Irvine already has his on, but now he's concerned for Selphie, glancing over at
her urgently to find a seat and strap down. Never seen the cowboy go
ballistic? You will if she gets hurt.
      
Dragonclaw obediently gets up - dazed but no longer with any lumps on his head -
and, while he doesn't get a seat belt, goes and wedges himself in the corner
again.

Selphie watches the display, chewing on her lower lip. She -tightens- her belts
to keep her from rising up again -- she just can't help it! Man, that
-smarted-. Her hands hover over the shiney buttons and triggers and such, as
she settles under the restraining straps. She's almost oblivious to most
everything except that screen right now, and one might hear her whispers,
"C'-mon-... I -dare- you. Bring it on."

The ship seems to take the effort to pry off the top of the building well; arms
made for this sort of thing work as there's success. With a great and LOUD
>squeell< the building gives up and releases it's head to the Ragnarok. Score!
Nida says "Starboard proton cannons are recharged, Selphie. In case you're
interested."

Terra hurries back to her seat, fastening herself in and feeling nauseated at
the, erm, bouquet of her former, erm, digestive backflushes. Her stomach's
empty -now- but she still feels like a good dry heave. She resists,
thankfully, and lets out a weak cheer as the roof begins getting torn to hell.

Selphie blinks, and -beams-. "Thankee, Nida!" --Er. Woah. Loud noise. She
glances Squall-wards, widely blinking. "..." Okay, -wow-. A toothy grin and
two fists thrust into the air later, she exclaims, "Yeeee-HAW!" Dammit,
Irvine. "You are -SO- mega-cool, Squall!"

Ward isn't sick. Hah! He wasn't at the party long so he hasn't had much to eat!
...All right, he's not sick sick, just kinda dizzy sick. He's got a harpoon
under his foot and a seatbelt on, and he grins as the top of the ShinRa
building comes off like so much paper.

Grinning over at Selphie, Irvine can't help but notice her little yelp. Yes,
just as she corrupts him, there's some degree of his influence on her too. The
sound of the Shinra roof being turned into a Ragnarok party hat draws his
attention away again, ah, now *this* is fun.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Squall, again, trying to reach someone. "Rescue team?"

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: *@##$$$@ My head's on fire!!! And Aerith is missing...I've
gotta go down for her.

Irvine spins around to look at Squall, reaching the conclusion that someone may
actually have to go down for the Rescue team.
      
Squall blinks and frowns at his compiece. "Kain's head is on fire," he reports
with a slight grin. No, don't crack up now, Commander. He goes back to the
controls.

Nida smiles faintly at one of the external views on a screen. "When that machine
catches up we're going to have to get rid of that to evade effectively," he
notes calmly.
      
Dragonclaw just manages to pull back out. "On fire? Did we drop fire? Use metal
as shield."

Through the viewscreen, Proud Clod soars after the Rags... its cannon charging
for another blast even as the rags moves to rip off the top of the building...
it is soon joined... by sleek, almost aeroplanes. These are newly defeloped...
Aerial fighters. They are shaped like boomerangs with a single pilot
compartment... they are held aloft though jets along the back... rows of
blasters line the front. A fill wing of 4 in a V formation with Clod at it's
lead.

Terra says, dully, "Who did it?" towards Squall. Sure, she'd like to have a
score check on the games down there.

The Raganrok drops the 'lid' of the building and Squall turns to look at Irvine.
"Well, we can get in to them...."

Selphie will do the cracking up for you, Squall. Ehehe... hoah, that's a good
one. In mid laughter, she notes to Nida, "T-throw it at it!" Sheild? Bah! Uh--
Woah. Selphie sobers VERY quickly. "Uh. Guys." She wastes no more time firing
the yummy Proton Canons, and... well, almost everything, at the incoming
planes and Proud Clod. She's not grinning... yet.

Dragonclaw actually feels the need to look out the window again. "Look!"

Squall glances up at the sensors, and scowls. "We haven't done anything to help
them yet!" he growls, frustrated. His com comes up again and he snaps into it.

Nida swings the Ragnarok around slightly, this time basically just to get on the
other side of the ShinRa building as the Clod and company to be able to use
the building itself as cover in a hurry if need be. "Somebody needs to drop
now, or they're going to wind up potentially being blasted on the way down,"
he states.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Rescue team, we're about to be under heavy fire. Must
withdraw, repeat, must withdraw. Status.

Squall nods, keeping an eye on the viewscreen and the approaching forces. "I
don't even know what their status is, how can I order someone in there?"

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: I'm retrieving Aerith...I'll go out the window.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: What about Cloud and Sephiroth?

Dragonclaw grumbles. "I will go. I do not want to be in here for the next
bounce."

Irvine looks right at Squall, trying not to grit his teeth, "I'll go in. I've
gone in like that before." Right, with Rinoa, into the prison, not into a
hotbed of activity like this, but it's all the same to him.

[CCOM 4000] RESCUE: they still battle on the roof. Sephiroth ordered me to
protect Aerith at all costs. I'm doing so.

Ward hits his harpoon, knocking it up into his hand like a skateboard and nods,
appearing to volunteer. He's not very useful here right now anyway.

Squall stares at Irvine a moment, before saying quickly, "I can't ensure we
could get you out. You hear them, Irvine, I don't think they're going to drop
everything and come with us."

[CCOM 4000] INFIL: <Perhaps barely heard, as it is a terribly hoarse whisper>
Infiltration has relocated to outside Midgar. Safe at present, awaiting
pickup.

Selphie pushes herself back into her seat, not about to let up on her firing
just 'cause the Airship moved. Good thinking on Nida's part, though, she's
gotta hand him that. And -- agh! Irvine! You distracted her. She double-takes
for just a second towards the cowboy, in a sort of 'What?!' look. "--AAGH!"
Too much to concentrate on. "We could -get- him -out-," she say through
gritted teeth, glaring at the screen. Woah. c_c;

Proud Clod continues on as the Ragrarok opens fire apon it and the fighters...
one... two are takens down... then a third... They were built for speed and
quick strikes... obviously not very experimental. Clod rumbles on towards the
Rags... and as the massive blast from the Behemoth fires at the Airship... a
cannon blast from the Rags rocks it, causing Clod's blast to go off... soaring
just above the rags and only searing it's plating.

Terra straightens up a bit and shakes off some of her former nausea - some,
anyway - but remains silent. She'd volunteer, but... she has that creeping
feeling that it might not be the best of plans for her to go down there.
"...Quetzacoatl wouldn't be enough to stop them, would it?" she observes;
meaning the craft, not the people down there. The blast, though, makes her
cringe before saying anything else.

The ship shudders again and is pushed back away from the open building. "Now or
never if you have a plan, Kinnes," Squall says shortly, holding onto the edge
of the console again. "I'm not dropping down there if you don't have a way to
get out."

Dragonclaw heads toward the out-way. "I will go, as I said. If I am caught - I
am caught, yes? I can break my way out; the metal will listen to me, if I need
it."

Irvine leans forward, then shakes his head, scowling. "Then maybe someone needs
to get in there and give them some back up." He almost doesn't say it...
almost but not quite.

Squall takes a breath and frowns, clearly not liking this. "We'll try to take
care of the machine and get back to you. Pick your team and go out the hatch,
there's a rope ladder. We'll hold the ship steady."

Nida actually mutters something that might have been a bad word to himself as he
reverses the hover polarity to duck the Rangarok out of the way, but only
barely. Everybody in the ship goes boing once in a herky-jerky way as he
un-reverses it. "We're a very inviting target right now," he observes.

"I'll *find* a way out, dammit, we can't just leave them down there like that!"
The gunman counters, one hand on the gun that's been moved against his
shoulders as he unstraps himself and leaps to his feet.

"I know, just keep us over the building, steady." Squall tells Nida. "When
they're clear, we'll punch it. Irvine has a comdevice, and he'll report." He
better, the tone says.

[CCOM 4000] COMMAND: Rescue team, we're sending in reinforcements.

Selphie winces at the boing -- almost knocks the wind out of her. Yay, constant
firing. Selphie likes this setup, watching the planes drop like flies. Now to
concentrate on Proud Clod. Of course... Irvine's going down there! Waaah! But
she can't really have a romantic farewell, here. She does shoot him a look,
though, if he's watching. Read: Don't diiiiie!

Terra just watches the fireworks, letting herself recover from all of this. Gah.
She'd help, but she's having an allergy attack to the stuff in this tank top,
she thinks. @_@

"Nida, position us as steady as you can over there, so the team [who should have
left the cockpit and gone to go jumping already] can get down there." Squall
orders, locking down the arms.

Yes, Irvine's at the jumping area, but before he actually gets there, he does
pause, glancing at Selphie somewhat affectionately. He mouths 'I love you' and
winks, reassuring her, or attempting to. See, it's all gonna be ok.

Dragonclaw just goes, making sure he has his bone axe.

Ward stands from his seat and steps over to join Dragonclaw and Irvine, wrapping
a hand around his harpoon firmly. Dramatic pause just before the jump....

Nida directs the ship back up into position, almost more hunching over the end
of the building than hovering. Some minor scraping is heard as the hull bumps
against the truncated top walls of the ShinRa building.

Selphie doesn't -need- to watch the display screen, and she -does- wtch Irvine,
until she can no longer see him. Awww. She beams, mouthing it back
immediately, then Nyahahaha!'s with a renwed vigor at the screen. "DIE,
ALREADY!"