The matte-black helo continued to hover above them. A Vigilant rotary autocannon mounted on a hardpoint remote turret slung under the Airstar’s belly moved in tandem to the pilot’s head movements through the sensor links. The visible laser sighting, clearly chosen as a deterrent to any attempted involvement by the civilians at the fringes of the battle zone, stabbed a long ruby finger through the night. The laser slid over vehicles and bodies, never touching one of its own ground team members.