We're Leaving Together

“The last time I saw, Earth. That's a moment I won't forget.”

“It was five days after the initial Invid bombardment and invasion. The Black Lions, my squad, had been on the ground at the time, and been spared destruction in space along with the rest of the Southern Cross' fleet. Since then, we'd been flying around the clock support mission for ground forces. Take off, blast some Invid, come back and try to catch some sleep before taking off to do it again. We were flying alongside the remnants of the TAF and CDFC who were being pushed every bit as hard as we were.”

“At one point I caught Karl Ritter *(Editor's note; Commander of the 48th TAF Squadron)* passed out on a couch, sleeping in his armour between sorties”

“We knew that we couldn't stop the Invid. All we were doing was trying to hold them back and buy time for our ground forces, as well as the flood of refugees heading towards the launch facilities. (Captain) Dana Sterling had her evacuation plan, but in order to make it happen we needed to keep the Invid away from both the refugees and the launch facilities. While (Captain) Dennis Brown and I were in charge of the North American effort, there were other pilots all across the world doing the same thing.”

“All the while, we were getting reports of what was happening on the ground and how the Southern Cross were being pushed back on all fronts. I think we all knew how this was going to end, but we fought no less.”

“And then on day five, we got the go signal. The ships were full, and we couldn't take any more, and we knew that the Invid were closing in. They'd already over-run the Kilimanjaro launch facility, and we couldn't risk losing any more.”

“Our job was to protect the shuttles while they got airborne and ensure that the Invid didn't bring them down. Everything else was secondary. We took off, a motley collection of whatever fighters we could find and get airborne, fielding everything from fresh off the line AGACS to antiques busted out of storage. As I lifted off, I could see the crowds packed around the launch facility. It was heartbreaking, knowing that we'd only had room for a tiny amount of those that had made it there.”

“In the distance, artillery Destroids were already opening up, making it clear that the Invid were here. The shuttles launched, heading skywards with our craft alongside them, ready for the worst. We'd formed a plan based on the harsh realities of the situation; those fighters that couldn't breach the atmosphere and make it into space were going to be the first to fight the Invid in the hope of buying time for those that could to make the escape. I remember seeing Lieutenant Roberto's CDFC squad being the first to engage. I never found out what happened to them.”

“Brown and I were at the centre of the formation, sticking close to Dana's 'borrowed' ship. Not only was it the spearhead of our operation and the best armed ship in the group, but it was also carrying her squad and the leaders of the Tirolian refugees that had survived the fall of the Masters. We were determined to get them away rather than leaving them for the Invid.”

“Once we got to space, I was up. The Black Lions lead the charge against the Invid blockade, and I fought harder then I ever had in my life. Their numbers seemed endless, with more and more of them streaming forth form those infernal clam-ships. It seemed impossible, but we did not back down. All that was important was that the ships got away.”

“I lost track of how long I fought and how many of them we shot down. It seemed like forever before we were clear. I remember that I'd exhausted my missiles and that my cannons were out of charge and my engines were screaming overheat warnings. But none of that mattered; we were away.”

“I ordered what was left of my squad back to the ship. All but one of them made it back. Rather than joining us, Dennis Brown pulled his AGAC back and turned around, headed for Earth again. 'I'm sorry, Captain,' he told me. 'I have to go back.'”

“I thought of the ship I was headed for, and one of the tankers on board in particular, and knew what he meant. 'You take care of her', I replied as he pulled away.”

“And as I glanced back, I took one last look at Earth. I had no idea how long it would be before I saw it again.”

- Marie Crystal, Black Lion Squadron, Army of the Southern Cross