"The Duke's representative?" some voices murmured among the engineer staff, as lowly serfs that had been ushering equipment had halted to watch as Orion, Ragnar, and Annika enter the bay area. The short man that had been decked by Ragnar groaned, but didn't rise. Orion took this moment to plant his boot on the fellow's back. 

"I am Orion Pentecost," He said aloud. He never enjoyed lying, so he didn't necessarily say he was the Duke's representative, but speaking next certainly led people to think it. "I am here to lead the Duke's Men into the defense of this fair city. I need all hands that are not busy on strict orders with the Duke to saddle up on their transport vehicles and come with me. We'll show these Vuldrok bastards what Imperial Men are made of." 

Minutes later, the bay area thrummed and roared with vehicles starting, from combat-tracks to equipment transports to even motorized bikes. Sister Annika had taken the time to count them, being of a meticulous mind and informed Orion they had sixty armed men and slightly over forty engineers and mechanics, along with fifty serfs to accompany them. 

Ragnar had elected to take his own motorized bike, grinning almost maliciously as he placed the helmet on his head. Orion had been somewhat opposed to it, giving him so much freedom. However he followed Sister Annika's advise and didn't protest. 

The metallic hull of the hovercraft groaned as Orion stepped atop it at the head of the small fleet they had commandeered. With all of his heart, he prayed that they could arrive in time to halt the Vuldrok advance, and that these men he was misleading were not mistreated on his behalf by the Duke, if they even survived that was. At his signal, and once Sister Annika was strapped in the hovercraft, Orion raised his sword and let out a call to battle. 

The vehicle lifted off the ground and leveled effortlessly, allowing Orion to remain in his standing position with only the small platform handle below him to steady his stance. The guards at the gate didn't halt them once they started to move. 

Who would think they were not under the Duke's orders? 
[@Penny]