"..."

It hurt...but this pain...this pain is what she was used to. Like it or not, the Helldivers had prepared her for such physical pain. Emotional, though, was far worse...

Or at least, that was what she was trained to know.

Letting out a groan and cough, Maria tried to at least get to a sitting position but the best she could make Neo Angel do in her condition was to now lie down flat on her back than on her side.

She then heard all the commotion over the line...and heard a familiar voice.

[quote]"GO TO HELL SHELLHEAD!"[/quote]

She must have misheard but then she heard some demonic roar of what she SOMEHOW guessed was from a framework. How she knew that without even looking escaped her but that voice...

"Mai! You ok?!", then came Jake's voice over the line.

"...still here", she managed to respond. "But Jake, that voice..."

"You know it?", Jake then asked.

Then came the voice again.

[quote]"YEAHHHH! EAT IT, FILTHY FUCKING BUGS!"[/quote]

Now she knew who it was but here of all places? Why? And what's with this new attitude?

"...Cau...Caulder...", she groaned in pain.

"...wait. That's Caulder?! Your old boss?!", Jake then said in shock. He soon abandoned his sniper position and pushed Weissritter to Neo Angel's location as fast as he could.

"...thought...you were...dead...", Maria then called over the line.

She then heard him take a long deep breath as if calming himself down then simply said this.

"...well talk later Seven. Just tell your squad to NOT come anywhere near my framework, Ragnarok, and they'll be fine. I shall handle these new turtle Cruxi personally", he responded as he moved east to the next turtle Cruxi.

"...I think...Elise summed up that nicely anyway", Maria responded, hearing Elise's latest order.

Maria then made a global call to everyone.

"...everyone...don't take any direct hits from the long range blast the turtles fire. Even with my TK barriers, I wasn't able to tank the hit. I don't care how big and tough your frameworks are, DON'T TANK it's long range...shot...ooowww..."

"Don't talk Maria! Caretaker! Where the hell are you?!", Jake yelled as he continued to head towards the Neo Angel.