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[H3]Clara / Zoom[/H3]
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Clara suppressed a groan, first a Coalition ambush, then a lost princess, then giant lizards, and now the lost princess wanted to play rear guard.

Depressing her communications key, Clara broadcast privately to Ingram, "Boss, is it kidnapping if we shove a princess, our princess, onto the Roanoke first, so we can bug out before we all end up permanent guests of the Coalition's finest?"

She didn't have time to wait for a reply before another river drake threatened the gravity bound MAS. Diving low, Clara opened up with the cannon of the Peregrine, sending HE rounds across the nearest river drake, and deftly dodging the snapping jaws of the lumbering lizard. Performing a steep loop, Clara dove back down and sent a cone of deadly cannon fire across the river drakes that popped across her sights.

"I'll be the rabbit for now," Clara broadcast over the comms, "I've got the speed, moving to engage the remaining Coalition patrol."

The 7th needed more time. The princess was still in danger. They didn't have the numbers, even if they had the guns. And the Peregrine was the fastest MAS on the field. Playing the distraction was hardly ideal, but it had to be her. It had to be her and the Peregrine if they wanted to buy time without sacrificing a pilot and MAS.

Firewalling her throttle, Clara grimaced beneath her helmet as the Peregrine rocketed towards the approaching Coalition patrol. She wasn't sure if the river drakes had followed her. She didn't care. There wasn't time to check. She had to keep moving. She had to stay fast.

Speed was life.