Neil's complete confusion on the strange meeting between Sayeeda and Canek was interrupted by the contingent of dervishes that waded across the endless expanse of sand without a word. It was only the fact that Neil had been holding his breath that he could hear them coming. Immediately, he steeled himself and did not move an inch, many years playing the role of thief had trained him that people noticed things with their peripherals more than anything. He could be standing 7 feet from them, and if he did not move and fit in only moderately well with the environment, they would be none the wiser. 

Initially Neil thought the newcomers were reinforcements. A small army coming to bolster the army that Canek commanded. But their movements, or the ones that Neil could see out of the corner of his eye, were those of the hunter, not the trusted ally. Gideon be damned, he wished he had brought grenades. His eyes began scanning the surroundings he could work with. The pilot lay atop one of the many boulders that framed the entrance of the base. To his right were more of the same. Crags and boulders jutting out of the rising landscape. Behind him were the dunes of sand, and to his left and front, the base. 

The nomads seemed to nearing the completion of their preparations, cocking rifles and fanning out in skirmish formation, the heavy weapons now forming at the center for maximum impact on the unsuspecting base. Neil almost didnt move, but he couldn't leave Sayeeda here. "The things I do for this woman," he breathed, his eyes closed to steel himself for what he was about to go. "Gideon protect me..." 

He spun, grabbing his heavy caliber pistol and cocking it in one smooth action, hitting one of the cloaked assassin's in the chest. One who specifically held a rocket launcher. Neil didn't stop, firing into the man until his fourth bullet hit home where he intended it to, and the ordinance loaded within the launcher exploded, igniting the dying man before shattering and sending fire and shrapnel into half a dozen of his fellows. 

Neil didn't hesitate, spinning and yanking himself over the crest of the boulder he was on to free fall over a dozen feet into the entrance of the base, tucking in a roll to negate most of the pressure but feeling as if he'd been kicked by Junebug after he made it to his feet. "Get down!" he told them, grabbing Junebug's arm and leaping to the side. Ever quick, Junebug rolled with him and hunkered down at the flank of the rocks as the bullets and lasbolts began to fly. 

"Thanks" She told him, and he handed her the plasma gun he had found. "How did you get here?" 

"Sven helped. We need to get the hell out of here. C'mon, behind these crates." He whispered, leading her to run in a crouch further within the base as the projectiles were unloaded at the two forces. A small aircar exploded from a launched grenade. He grabbed the hoverboard from his back and held it. "I can get us both out on this if you hold on." 

"You have to be kidding me." 
[@Penny]