Operation Escort

### Small introduction

It all started with a call from Field-Marshall Commander Samuel Ohera. In this call, he told Commander Dux about their new assignment.

They were to escort a man of high political influence, from the Grand Eastern Imperial Outpost, across the Great Crossing Ocean, to the Southern Military Base "Omega".

This all would be done by plane. A special plane in fact, since it was the Dettla, piloted by Class-pilot Deathwish, that was in use here. A rather large personnel carrier, easily big enough for at least 5 squads.

There was just one thing that derived from your normal escort mission. This one was different, because they were told to split and mix with Class Squad. It would be a joined operation. This time was different though. Dux was instructed to send their medic Sana, their lieutenant Arma and trooper Imago ahead to the Southern Military Base "Moon", where they were told to wait for the arrival of Class Squad.

In exchange however, Umbrae Squad would receive additional support from Class-Captain Leets, Class-medic Nimes and Class-trooper Brawl.

### The End

"Sir, we're hit!", Deathwish screams through the intercom. "Those bastards knew exactly where to hit us!".

Commander Dux runs towards the cockpit and finds Leets and Deathwish in great distress.

"What on earth happened?!", Dux screams as he tries to get over the sounds of beeping screams and screaming alarms.

Leets tried to answer, but was interrupted by another alarm going off.

Dux points towards his headset, mouthing the words "I-N-S-I-D-E C-H-A-N-N-E-L". Leets turns his mic on, and, through the cracking of his headphones, Dux understands: "All we know is that they hit us right in engine. We can't land, we can't evacuate. Sir, we're going down."

The news was still sinking in when Dux saw an E-AA Helicopter appearing right next to the cockpit. Then he saw the 2 snipers sitting in the cabin. They took aim. "GET OUT!", Dux screamed. Leets ducked down but Deathwish was too late. She was shot dead in the chest. Leets and Dux immediately returned fire, killing the pilot and thus destroying the helicopter.

"We should leave the cockpit", Dux said, with clear sadness on his face, as he stared at the lifeless corpse of Deathwish. "There is nothing we can do here anymore". Leets and Dux then proceed to carry the body of Deathwish to the bridge. Dux handed her body over to Nimes, so he could give her a proper air-burial, together with Leets.

100 MINUTES UNTIL CRASH.

Still kind of numbed after hearing that they were going to die, Dux walks towards the home deck.

Distia came running up to him. "Julius, what happened?!" she asked. Dux gently pushes her to the side as he takes a seat in the living room. He takes his sunglasses and headset off and places them on the table in front of him. His face showed a clear defeated impression.

Brawl, Latro, Distia, Lauri, Conflo and Ignis are now gathered around Dux, all undoubtedly with burning questions. Dux pours himself a cup of coffee from the coffeepot on the side table. Without looking up from the pouring, he says: "We've been betrayed, we're crashing in less than 2 hours, Deathwish has been killed, and we failed our mission the second the senator was killed alongside Venate and Perst. I hope this answers everyone's questions", stuttering the last words as tears appear in his eyes. "We lost..." he whispers.

80 MINUTES UNTIL CRASH.

All the members of the crew have now taken a seat in the living room. Everyone took their headgear off. No one seems to notice that Lauri and Ignis have disappeared. Dux looks around the room, taken every defeated face in. Everyone was dealing with the news in their own way, in their own minds. Thinking about all of those they would never see, all of those they could never say goodbye to.

Those depressing thoughts were what motivated Conflo to lift everyone spirits. The trooper just stood up, cleared his throat and shouted "THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER!". Everyone in the room looked up, confused at first, but then they understood what he meant. Conflo continued: "The CC shouldn't be damaged if only our engines are hit! We're going to die, make your peace with it. When you're done come with me so we can say a proper goodbye!"

All spirits were lifted and everyone followed Conflo to the CC. They could give their friends and family a proper goodbye.

60 MINUTES UNTIL CRASH.

As everyone was making their last calls, saying their last goodbyes, Dux went looking for Lauri and Ignis. After searching for not very long, he found them embraced in the cargo bay. Upon seeing Dux, they looked absolutely terrified, probably thinking that Dux was about to punish them in their last moments.

Dux, seeing their scared and caught faces, starts laughing. Laughing as if they just the told the most hilarious joke that ever existed. Lauri and Ignis were clearly confused, but Dux kept laughing until Lauri asked him what was so funny.

Dux, wheezing from laughing, says: "First of all, thank you, I really needed that. Second of all, your faces! Oh my god, you looked like I was going to throw the both of you off the plane!"

Ignis, seemingly relieved, responds: "Maybe not that exactly, but it's a rule, sir! You are not allowed to have any relations with anyone in your squad. We thought that if you found out that 2 of your troopers were together, you'd have us taken away."

"It is indeed a rule of the Grand Imperial Army", Dux continues. "A fucking bogus rule, at that. Besides, we all knew about you two. In fact, we all supported it. And to be honest, we all thought you guys knew that we were aware. You couldn't have possibly thought you two were subtle with your sneaking away and you two sleeping so close next to each other, you might've as well done just that. No, we knew. So I would like to invite the two of you to spend your last moments, instead of hiding from your squad in a very cute embrace, to join us, your squad, nay, your family, so that we can go out all together."

Lauri and Ignis were so delighted by this news, they couldn't help but kiss. Then suddenly Lauri turned towards Dux, but before she could ask anything, he already said: "Yes, yes, I'll give you some privacy. I expect you lovebirds to be at the CC in less than 20 minutes though!"

They arrived 5 minutes later.

35 MINUTES UNTIL CRASH.

As Dux arrived back at the CC, almost everyone had said their goodbyes. Their was a strange, relieved yet sad, mood in the air. Latro walked up to Dux, telling him how everyone asked after him. Now it was Dux' time to say his goodbyes.

Dux starts with a call to Sarah and Julia Hess, his 2 adoptive sisters.

Blah Blah WIP.

He then calls the Class Squad, stationed at the Moon base. Everyone gathers around, since Dux insisted on saying their goodbyes together.

Tell answers the call, and Dux tells him to round up the remaining members, and their loaned Umbrae members. Once everyone was there, Leets explained the situation, as stoic as he usually was. The spirit on the other side quickly dimmed. Absolute disbelieved filled everyone their faces. (For everyone's personal goodbye, check the list down below)

#### Goodbye to Imago

Dux' goodbye to Imago started off as a formal goodbye to her superior. But then Imago breaks down, crying as she says that even though she was a year older than him, he say him as her older brother. Now Dux couldn't keep it dry either and Dux ended by saying it was an amazing experience, serving alongside her. Imago then moved over and let Arma talk to Dux.

#### Goodbye to Arma

Arma didn't show much emotion, if any at all. He did say something that would weigh on Dux' his heart. He told Dux how he was forever grateful that he and Umbrae worked so hard to get him to join them. He might've been skeptic at first, but now he's really going to miss his little nephew. He then made room for Sana.

#### Goodbye to Sana

"Julius, you absolute dick!" she screamed as soon as she saw his face. "You betraying little bastard!" Dux, slightly off put by this, asks her what he did wrong. She continues, still agitated, but now sporting a big smile, "You don't remember?? You don't remember how when we were 10 we made a pact? A pact that said how we, the best of friends, would either die together, or not at all? You broke your promise, you fuckface!"

Dux couldn't help but laugh. "Rachel, I hate you so much. I'm literally dying in about 30 minutes and you try to make me feel guilty!"

Sana, now laughing as well, suddenly says with a straight face: " No but seriously. I'm going to miss you so fucking much. This is so unfair you know? We did everything together since we were 5 years old, and the one time they separate us, you die? This is probably the worst fucking day of my life so far, and in the future. Julius, I thank you for making my life so much better, I thank you for putting your faith in my medical abilities when no one else did, and I thank you for literally always putting your trust in me. You were a damn fine leader, and a damn fine friend."

Dux, while wiping the tears from his face, responds by saying: "Rachel.. I don't know what to say. You saved my life so many times, and it sucks you aren't here because, let's be honest, we would've made it all out alive. You were the goddamn best medic anyone can ever hope to get in their unit, and for fucks sake, even though you stole my sister, I just know you're going to make her very happy. Godspeed to both of you." Rachel, while trying so hard not to cry, then walked away, leaving just Starr to talk to Dux.

#### Goodbye to Starr

"Now, before you say anything Isabelle, I want you to know that those last 10 months we got to spend as a couple were the best months of my life, and I would be lying if I said that the thing I hate about dying right now isn't necessarily being dead, but just the fact that I won't ever get to see you, hold you and kiss you makes me more miserable than my own mortality soon fading." Isabelle started to cry, telling Dux he had to stop before she couldn't say her own goodbyes.

But Dux didn't stop. He continued: "Isabella, I love you. I fucking love you so much that, eh" Dux stutters, and starts to get a bit nervous. "No," he says, "no fuck this. I'm doing this." Starr looks confused, through her soaking eyes, at Dux, wondering what he means.

"Isabelle, will you marry me?" Dux awkwardly gets down on one knee, his face just barely visible on the other screen.

Everyone gathers around in absolute disbelief.

Starr, crying harder than before, starts to smile, and in between her sobbing she blares out a yes.

Everyone started clapping, and some even started to tear up a little.

WIP WIP WIP WIP WIP

 Click down below to read everyone's final goodbyes.

* Latro
* Leets
* Distia
* Nimes
* Conflo
* Brawl