Sayeeda jogged through the rain to where a group of men were huddled. Again she was surprised at the ornate uniforms and armor, they looked scared to her but then again they had held these monsters at bay for hours. It wasn't a trival accomplishment. They were an odd group dressed in soaking finery, stained with blood and dirt. One of them stood up and cast back his cloak in what she could only think of as a theatrical gesture. Armor of gold and white enamel gleamed dimly in the rainy afternoon light. Sayeeda instinctively stepped backward, horrified that anyone would annonce themselves so obviousloy on a battlefied but of course the Xenos didn'g have snipers. Still it was a sloppy dangerous habit. The seargent walking behind her evidently thought her hesitation was disrespectful and tried to shove her forward. Sayeeda slammed her elbow back into the mans belly and the soldier let out a choking gasp and feel to his knees.		

"Ah a warm welcome to you as well," the armored man declared in a surprsingly rich cultured voice. Behind them the plasma cannon finally exploded with an actinic flash and a sharp boom. Everyone ducked and pieces of hot metal pattered down around them sizzling for a moment before the rain cooled them. Another salvo from the Highlander tore into the enemy. The noble straightened although there was a slightly paniced look developing in his eyes.

"I am Prince Aiden Amalric, heir to the throne of Atrantos," he declared grandly, making a bow only somewhat spoiled by the fact that his cloak of fine white cloth was both sodden and filthy. Aiden was an attractive man in his early thirties with peircing blue eyes and an impecably manicured handlebar mustache. It gave him a dashing rakish look

"I'm uhhh... Captain Junebug Cykali," she responded wondering if she could curtsey or something. The princes mouth compressed into a smile.

"Junebug? There is a story there I'll wager but it can probably wait till we get out of this particular deathtrap."

"Yes," Sayeeda agreed, "Problem is that I can't land my ship in this storm or under a hail of rocks. A few hits to the thruster nozzles and we would be in real trouble. Even if I could we could never get everyone aboard before those things overan us."

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