# Finest Hour



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

The pilots stepped off the battered utility shuttle, gazing around at the prefab airfield. The wing leader stooped and touched the ground. The rest of the flight followed.

A speaker set into a golden face suddenly let out a burst of static, then 

"All pilots of the 998th Murder wing, 343rd Cadian wing, 226th Tartarus wing, and the 267th Archeron report to the briefing room immediately. Praise the Emperor."

Wing leader Kyrra Varsin threw a curt nod to her second, Avery Corvus, and led her wing down the steps to the briefing chambers.

"To be frank, it's not good. The enemy has driven our land forces back to near defeat, and some elements are near retreat now. What your mission, along with the twelve other naval air wings we've enlisted, is to deter the air campaign of the enemy until we can get supplies and reinforcements to the front lines. The Administratum will provide you with full dataslates and mission profiles, and your FSB locations. Your aircraft are being shipped down, and will be fully landed by tomorrow. You have accomadations in the barracks two rows down, and the Murder pilots are three rows down." said the man, whom she now knew as Lord Rezalm, the overall theater commander.

Kyrra winked at the Cadian who'd been staring at her, and he flinched.

The Archeronies snickered.

The commander eyed the wing, and they fell silent again.

"Wing lead, step foreward."

Kyrra took a step out of the disorderly group of pilots.

"I don't know or care how they taught you on Archeron, but here you will respect me. I know that Archeron regiments are notorious for authority "issues" but with the God-Emperor as my witness you WILL obey my orders on this planet, is that clear?"

Kyrra cleared her throat, and calmly said

"Sir, I think Archeron is the perfect place for you, whip some sense into you."

The commander was visibly shaken. He drew back his hand, and then dropped it to his side.

"Get the hell back to the barracks. The rest of you! Get the hell out!" 

Avery eyed Kyrra. "Another like that and you'll be assigned to the firing squad...as the backstop."

Kyrra laughed. "Our wing makes up for ticking people off with serious results. Remember Cadia?"


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## Initiate (Mar 25, 2007)

lolz, cheeky liddle pilot isnt she?


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Yes, she is. lolz.
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Avery followed Varsin down into the bombproof shelter. The massive lifter vessels sliding down on the tarmac with a sound like the end of the world. 

"How're we gonna sleep through that?"

Varsin closed the door as her last pilot, Treal, came through the armored bulkhead. The sound cut off abruptly.

"Sealed." she said.

She looked around at the assorted flight. Herself, Avery, Treal, Monty, Zim, Sigs, Young, and Quest, the youngest. The 267th Archeron "Echo" Flight.

A couple PDF troopers were playing tarot in the corner on an upturned ammo crate. Varsin smiled. The Navy flights had played dice and riddles on the flight, and she far preferred a table of suckers with more money than sense any day.

"Cards, anybody?"


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