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Ingram cursed, as he brought the Sparrowhawk closer to the ground, ducking out of the way of a volley of autocannon shells. The Coalition mechs weren't within visual range, but just as it didn't stop the 7th from shooting at them, the foliage didn't stop the enemy from shooting back. Coalition cannon shells flew through the treeline, sending spear-sized chunks of wood and splinters flying as they slammed into and exploded against the massive trees surrounding them. Shards of wood and shrapnel buffeted the Sparrowhawk as it juked and weaved through the treeline. The recovery team as well were showered by wood shards as they pushed their way through the treeline, though most of the pieces were ineffectual and bothersome at worst. 

All the while the squadron was harried endlessly by stray riverdrakes. Most of the pack at this point had thinned out, and were contending with both Coalition forces as well as the 7th, but the occasional drake still jumped out of the forest to take a nip at the smaller mechs in the pack. Ingram dropped the Sparrowhawk out of the sky, allowing the weight of his machine to land fully on a riverdrake that strayed too close to the Princess’ commandeered MAS. The rest of the 7th was already forming around the princess’ MAS as the two elements linked up. Pips had been the point of contact for the princess and the 7th thus far, and had been instructing her to stay safe within their unit and to get on the Roanoke as soon as it came within sight. The princess however must have had other ideas.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"Negative, Kolibri! This MAS is still healthy and able to fight! You're in less of a position to cover the retreat. You will make the first bound to the ship, I will use the AAT-9's shields to cover your advance. Please don't argue this..."[/b][/color]

Ingram scowled, not entirely surprising- the Royals were all given an extensive military education as a part of their upbringing, and being so young, Ingram might’ve understood how gung ho the princess was- but not when their lives were the ones at risk. This wasn’t a fantasy and they weren’t heroes, this was real and they were currently running for their lives. Still, Ingram managed to keep his voice composed and even as he keyed the comm.

[color=lightblue]”Sorry Sunray, it doesn’t work like that.”[/color] Ingram’s voice crackled through, a small wash of static carrying through his clipped voice. [color=lightblue]”The rest of the 7th is covering us- the faster we get you on the ship, the faster we all get out of this jungle. ”[/color]

The princess might well have been a capable fighter- if they were in a more desperate position, Ingram probably would’ve welcomed the fighting spirit. But as it were, they weren’t here to fight. The 7th didn’t know the princess, they didn’t know how to fight with her, it didn’t do anyone any good to have the princess out on the fighting line. As if to punctuate his point, the Sparrowhawk stomped down on the writhing riverdrake underneath it, its arm cannon spinning up to fire a burst of shells into its head as its armored helmet turned to look at the Helheimr.

[color=lightblue]”Sunray goes in first, followed by Pips and Grizz. No arguing.”[/color] Ingram directed, an armored hand pointing them in the direction of the ship.

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The last few miles to the ship was a rush, the 7th pulled back as rapidly as their heavier units would allow. Ingram flew above, directing fire as they fell back- Coalition patrols were outside of visual range, but still deigned to return fire as autocannon shells and missiles crashed around them. A steel plated beacon in the storm, the Roanoke itself was already firing its weapons by the time the squadron got into visual range of the vessel, mass drivers and plasma cannons flashing as they fired into the woods around them, scorching stone, wood and metal alike. The Roanoke’s hangar doors were already open and waiting as the 7th and their charges splashed through the sapphire lake. 

Drakes and Coalition patrols be damned, the 7th broke for the open hangar doors as the Roanoke delivered withering volleys of fire around them. The water around the ship was already rippling and forming into waves as the engines of the Roanoke began spooling up, ready to take the ship into the sky and back into orbit. Technical crews were already waiting for them as they quickly waved and directed mechs into bays. 

The Sparrowhawk, being flight-capable, was one of the last ones into the hangar. In the event that the ship needed to take off before everyone was loaded in, the Sparrowhawk could still fly into the hangar as the Roanoke flew. Stomping the last few steps into the remaining hangar bay, Ingram spooled the mech down and pushed open his cockpit as he keyed his comm.

[color=lightblue]”Medical to the hangar,”[/color] Ingram said, his voice echoing across the ship as he grabbed the edge of his cockpit, steadying himself as the Roanoke took off into the sky- harried by enemy fire all the while. Rumbling from a combination of stray enemy fire and turbulence, the Roanoke propelled itself from the surface of the planet into low orbit. Ingram swapped his comms to the command channel. He spoke for a moment before abruptly switching back to the crew channels.

[color=lightblue]”Medical team belay that, all hands brace!”[/color]

Ingram threw himself back into the seat of his cockpit and grabbed the seat’s roll bars. The Roanoke had barely reached low orbit when it activated its Kearnsky-Fuchida Warp drive and propelled itself and its unwitting crew into FTL space. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, a second felt like a minute,  and Ingram felt his stomach dropping- not unlike the sensation of being inside an elevator- the entire time. Moments later, everything snapped back to real time and Ingram jerked forward, almost falling out of his cockpit. He shook his head and shuddered, they were now in FTL space- the familiar rocking and rattling of space ‘turbulence’ against the hull filling his ears.

[color=lightblue]”Okay, [i]now[/i] medical to the hangar.”[/color] Ingram sighed through the crew comms as he pulled himself out of the cockpit. They were in the clear- for now.