[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jTF3TpV.png[/img]
[h3][color=f7941d]Callie[/color] / [color=00aeef]Henri[/color] / [color=8F00FF]Nil[/color][/h3]
[@Nimbus] / [@Chiro] / [@Gerlando][/center]
Callie forced her mind into gear through the ever-growing weariness; her eyes scanned the battlefield below, searching for anything at all - ripples in the earth, the shape of the terrain, anomalies within either - all while watching for missiles, stray fire, that odd boiling in the ground and any and all other potential threats to the helicopter.  As for her voice…  [color=f7941d]“Sir, ma’am, ready to reposition assets on your command.  And…”[/color]  She bowed her head.  [color=f7941d]“If you’ve any healer AMs below, we could use one right now.”[/color]

“We do,” CMS Cabral called out over the comms, “an Army Chaplain back in Lingayen, where you’re returning to - his name’s Carroman.”

[color=f7941d]“Good…”  [i]Not yet, while there’s so much earth…[/i][/color]  Her mind stalled for a moment, not entirely able to comprehend what her sight showed it: a titan, rising from the rubble and glass to stand atop a dais of melting rock.

[color=f7941d][i]She’s not in there[/i][/color], her intuition screamed - [color=f7941d][i]too obvious, she’s too smart - she’ll[/i] expect [i]us thinking that - how can I - how do -[/i][/color]

Sound from the radio - first melodic, teasing, then all at once directional and firm.  Those tones recentred her, so like her days in the Cadets on a field exercise, listening to one of her teammates adapting a plan on the fly…

She breathed.

[color=f7941d][i]Okay.[/i][/color]

Callie rapidly flicked at her comms, locating the channel for Qingshe.  [color=f7941d][i]Would - it’d help see patterns in the earth - any advantage, take.[/i]  “Alright, someone, I need infra - goggles, headset, anything portable.  She needs an eye in the sky, I’m it.”[/color]  For the briefest of moments, part of her brain cursed not having the custom attachment she’d had for her spyglass back in the US.  [color=f7941d]“For the other, Nil -”[/color] Callie flinched, looking over to the girl before glancing with concern at Henri.  [color=f7941d]No time, I hate it but no time…[/color]

Nil got to one of the seats of the heli and pretty much just sat there, hands holding her head but looking a lot more calm right now. She was looking around… but not in a very attentive way… and towards the helicopter’s floor; clearly she had no intention of taking a look outside for now.

When called upon Nil turned her head, as if hearing it but the extent of what she understood was uncertain as she didn’t utter a single word.

Shaking herself, focusing, Callie fit thermal vision goggles to her helmet.  [color=f7941d][i]Benefit of having equipment from here…[/i]  “Come in, Snake - I have visual on…”[/color]  She shuddered a touch, brain still not entirely wanting to accept the [i]scale[/i] of that going on beneath her.  [color=f7941d]“Visual on seismic activity.  Hoping to release some pressure; going to try marking our target too.  Seeking confirmation: if provided, can you direct and expand your terrain effect through -”[/color]

A sudden shift - cold, bursting through the heat of the volcano, as masses of ice collided with the lava.  Great blasts of sublimated steam issued forth and whatever inferences she’d hoped to draw from the flow of the lava vanished into rapidly-shifting convection currents.  [color=f7941d][i]Situation changing[/i] far [i]too fast - not safe up here -[/i]  “God, God, right channel - ma’am, sending injured AM down now!”[/color]  And, with a glance through Charter, a moment’s focus, Sophist was in the hands of a medic below and being rushed into the field hospital.

[color=f7941d][i]Now the next, the next![/i][/color]  And Callie’s mind raced, as the radio screeched with commands and chaos and destruction unfolded below her.  [color=f7941d][i]Too much…  Simple and effective.  Pure utility.  That’s what’s needed.  It’ll hurt…  You’ve practised.[/i][/color]

Back to Qingshe.  [color=f7941d][i]If she’s got everyone’s ear, as it sounds…[/i]  “Scratch that - if we’re levelling the mountainside, relay that I need someone to provide a sight line on Tian Fei from above, even just a few seconds.  Get that and I can isolate and expose her to [i]everyone[/i].”[/color]

She looked for a moment to Henri; even as her goggles hid her eyes, her voice told the story of a young woman shaken, overtaxed, but determined.  [color=f7941d]“Sergeant, this could go badly.  I go down, you’d [i]better[/i] help me like I kept you…  Well, safe-ish before, okay?”[/color]  A thin smile to disguise the pang, the murmur amongst the others in her head that said she shouldn’t, [i]wouldn’t[/i] need it.

[color=00aeef]”You can count on me,”[/color] Henri promised, although he admitted to himself that he had doubts. For the last few moments, he had felt himself… lacking. Henri knew that he was only a D-class, but it was just now that he truly thought he knew the full implication. No, he wasn’t useless. With the proper strategy, they had already taken down one strong opponent. It was the same with this.

[color=00aeef]”I’ll keep an eye on you.”[/color]

[color=f7941d]“Good to know,”[/color] came the response, accompanied by a slight and momentary smile.  [color=f7941d]“Not just me, mind - see to your men, Sergeant,”[/color] Callie added, a little faux-pomposity in her inflection as a part of her carved out even a little relief from the near-total focus of scanning from the heights, awaiting her chance.

 [color=00aeef]”Naturally,”[/color] Henri added before leaving Callie in her thoughts to ponder his own strategies.

Meanwhile Nil was still sitting in the back of the chopper, still not getting up and definitely not looking out the chopper, this time not because she couldn’t but because she didn’t want to look at whatever was making everyone so erratic. It couldn’t be good; from her sitting position she saw an impotent Henri and desperate Callie constantly looking out for an opportunity that might or might not come.  Even in this desperate moment it seems they were coordinating with someone through the comms, hoping together they had a chance; Nil was sure to have heard that voice before…