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    [i] Main Hexcode || [color=#E46B63]#E46B63[/color] ||| Secondary Hexcode || [color=#875FC1]#875FC1[/color][/i]
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Aster flinched, biting her lip to suppress the weak part of herself that still wanted to whimper at the sensation as the cockpit joints clamped down hard on her shoulders, waist, and legs. With a faint click, the magnetized seals that connected the force-dampening harness to her flightsuit engaged, and thin needles worked their way into each of her arms. A moment later, however, the pain vanished, replaced by a dull sensation of weight and energy working its way up her limbs and through her bloodstream as her first dose of piloting stims kicked in. She blinked, and her vision seemed to clear ahead of her - just in time, as the Alecto's viewscreen powered up, the distinctive series of glimmering green visors on its dish-like head sparking to life and revealing the sight of the ground far below her. Although she couldn't see it yet, a faint cloud of dust on the horizon told her the location of her objective.

The train. The mission was, in theory, simple - much like many of the mock operations she'd done in training. She was to eliminate multiple enemy escort units and acquire the cargo they protected unharmed. This time, she'd even have mercenary pilots providing her backup - a luxury she hadn't had while in training. And yet, why was it that she still felt so nervous? Even with the dose of drugs to hone her focus, her hands were still shaking even as the movement-sensitive control terminals folded up and closed tightly around them. The camera jittered for a moment, and she had to take a deep breath to stop herself from twitching too much.

Real combat. Real weapons. Real enemy pilots. It was like the doctor had always told her it would be: kill, or be killed. This was finally it. There was no going back now.

[color=#E46B63]"Alecto, preparing to drop onto target site. Right... I'll open communications over the encrypted mercenary frequency now."[/color] Unable to remove her hands from the machine's controls, she instead blinked twice, an input which the cockpit camera registered as the hotkey in order to activate the suit's voice-commands. [color=#E46B63]"Computer, begin transmission on T.'s frequency."[/color] The green dot in the corner of the HUD blinked once, and a mechanical voice responded in the affirmative, confirming that it was ready to send her signal.

[color=#E46B63]"This is Pilot Designate F-003 'Alecto' hailing 'T.' We are now confirming arrival over the Iron Canal. I'll standby just outside of sensor range, but I'm prepared for rapid aerial deployment against the target when all other units are in position. Please confirm your status. Alecto out."[/color]

[@Pathfinder][@Liotrent][@vietmyke][@Duoya]