Nick tensed up, and forced his helmeted head into its rest, his neck beginning to cramp.[i] Better cramped then coldcocked at launch.[/i] he thought to himself as he waited for what would momentarily feel like a full body coronary. 

[i]<Launch!>[/i] came the all powerful voice, and mike felt like the gods themselves bitch slapped him into next week, before it just as suddenly faded. 

[i]<Okay folks, tighten up into formation. Let's make this look good, since we're the first ones out here.> 
[/i]

"Christ" mike hissed rubbing his collarbone before forming up. "Six here, falling in formation" Cutting back from the launch trajectory, Nick swung back towards Erien, and the rest, taking his position in the 'V'. staying like that, they quickly closed in on their charge, the colonel making contact.

[i]<All right, boys and girls. Split into two groups; Hel'Kayik and Cavernmaw, you're together. Keep your eyes peeled, everyone. We know there's something weird going on out here.>[/i] Nick looked around, his HUDD tagging the Sabers as he looked over them. Finding number two, he broke off and paired up.

"hey there two." mike said, waving to him, before adjusting his flight to a stable cruise. during their excursion, Nick too some moments to pull his PADD out and take a few pictures of the planet, he had just gotten a good one of the Claymore, when a blip on his HUDD, and the Colonel broke the serenity. 

[i]
<Eagle Eye, this is Wylde Fyre Lead. We have multiple inbound contacts, unknown origin and intentions. All Wylde Fyre units, stand to - looks like we have company. Miles, with me. Hel'Kayik, Cavernmaw, take spacing and follow us in. If they jump, stand by to jump back. The rest of you, keep that Claymore safe. This might be a decoy!>
[/i]

"Six here, copy lead. will follow in 3" Nick said looking at Elik. " 3...2...1, lets go Two" he said, firing thrusters to half and following suit, ready to arm at a moments notice. keeping things defensive, he watched as the opposing fighters broke off and sent a missile at the colonel. 

[i]<All craft, craft are bandits, inbound and hot! Light 'em up!>[/i] mike grimaced as he watched the Saber spiral chaff and flares through space. 

"understood, moving to engage!, Two, lets go!" he looked over as a wash of magnesium light flared over him, Elik braking off hard.

[i]<I've got one on my tail!>[/i]

"Six is on the way Two, keep dodging!" Nick said as he threw the engines to full and banked after him. As the bulkier fighter pulled into view Nick flipped the cover off the trigger, his HUDD filling spaces with a visual representation of his load out. Scrolling around he highlighted a panel of air-air missiles and carefully traced the fighter with the targeting reticle. 

"come on, come on, wiggle down a bit..." he muttered as he glanced at his radar, firing a missile as the lock-on tone went of. 

"Six, fox one" he called out, as he balanced between keeping lock, and watching his radar. "break off you bandit piece of-" he muttered to himself, hoping the heat would make him peel off of Elik. finally, the bandit fired his own countermeasures, and mike broke off to follow. 

"Two, he broke off, watch out for his friend." Nick said as he cut off the previous munition, leaving it to fly harmlessly into the distance. Weaving after the fighter, he switched to guns, stabbing the space in front of the enemy pilot as it wobbled uncertainly through the rail gun fire.