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[Kriellya]

Planet brain damaged here. Planet not know. No Attention. Leave Shuttles.

((you are attempting to perform a dangerous maneuver that will draw attention to the hole in the planet's awareness and attract AA fire with no significant gains to be made from it.

this is stupid.

we will draw no aa fire or very little aa fire if we don't bring extra shuttles over here. even if we are fired upon, we have defenses and defenders standing by watching for it.
what you are doing is a pointless risk that increases the odds we are going to die.))

(( This is why I'm *not* bringing all the extra shuttles here. I'm, at most, bringing one shuttle here. It's 1, or none. I'm up for debating none IC ))

"So, just so that I'm ready in case we actually go through with this, what exactly are you going to do and what exactly do you want me to do? I mean, I did my own stunts, but I did rehearse them a couple of times first. Or at least I started doing so after that time I smashed my head on a truck. Which was totally not my fault, by the way, it was really hard to see through that lobster costume."

We're moving a little slow here. We could dodge a little better if we could transfer you to another shuttle, but that might end poorly for you. Otherwise, just keep an eye out for threats. All I can do with the two of you strapped there is keep flying.

My thought is to bring a shuttle over for cover, and have some of the other shuttles start ascending in pairs, but it depends on where the shuttles are.
If they're still clumped together, I don't see the point. It may attract too much attention if one of them joined us, or if they started ascending together while we were alone, so we leave them for Gyro. If they're spread out enough, pairing off wouldn't look as suspicious. The empty pairs serve as distractions, the one that pairs with us serves as cover and possibly transport for a piece of large, heavy machinery that does its own stunts.

[Lenglon]

No Shuttles. Slow safe. Needed elsewhere.

[Kriellya]

No Shuttles. Slow safe. Needed elsewhere.

Think of it as hedging bets. I'm only bringing a shuttle over here if we think it won't bring down much attention. Right now, if something comes for us that our jury-rigged turrets can't deflect, we're as good as dead. Doesn't need to be much. All I can do right now is fly up, on a highly predictable path. If we can get a shuttle over here in such a way that it's importance isn't noticed, then we can do something about that. Maybe not transfer Flint, but the extra shuttle can at least screen our movements and protect us from attack if necessary.

Again, I only think we should do this if it won't be blindingly obvious that one of the shuttle-cluster broke away to escort us. Which I should... know... oh come on, where is that map... An audible sigh comes over the radio. I'm focusing on flying until Steve sends us the shuttle locations. Discuss among yourselves back there what the best course of action is.

[Parisbre56]

"That... sounds like a really bad idea. And trust me, I know a lot about bad ideas. Practically wrote the book on bad ideas.

Those shuttles are dropping nukes to draw their fire. Bringing one here would mean that the fire would be directed here. Making it more likely for us to get hit.

Now, the longer we stay here, the more likely it becomes to get hit. But the danger would probably become much worse if we have a shuttle that dropped some nukes fly next to us or under us or whatever.

If you want to risk the transfer, then either you bring a lot of shuttles, position the centre of the swarm away from us so that it's more likely to be targeted and we make the transfer then, but that has the danger of us getting targeted by an AoE attack or getting unlucky.

Or we can bring a few of the shuttles and have them fly relatively low over the planet at different altitudes, dropping some nukes to make sure they draw the planet's fire. I can drop as they pass below us. If I time it right and am lucky enough, then I can grab at least one of those shuttles and fly away with it. With some luck, the planet will focus on the shuttles attacking it rather than the one not doing anything to it.

Or we can let the shuttles keep doing what they're doing and hope that they're distracting the planet sufficiently. After all, the planet should prioritize them over us. If we're lucky, it will use slow rounds for a slow armoured target, things we can shoot and that the ampers can either stop or at least help slow so that they stop once they hit my armour. If we're really lucky, it won't have the resources to spare to target us. If we're really really lucky, the nerve cluster didn't have time to communicate details about us to the others so it shouldn't even know we are a threat. We can make the transfer once we're further away from the planet and safer and can thus afford to have some shuttles break off and retreat with us. At that range, it will probably be unable to target us successfully. _{Hopefully it won't have time to develop hypervelocity cannons.}

Or I could try using my thrusters to help, but one of the main thrusters has been damaged and is thus not as powerful. And I haven't used them since it was damaged, so I can't confirm their safety. If any of you is good with machines, you can secure yourself with a rope, get out and with some tools and help me fix Gilgamesh's thrusters so I can go faster and be safer, but doing so while flying would be dangerous in itself.

Either way, there's risk involved. The point is to minimize it. And that takes some talking with your mind and with your guts. Now personally, I wouldn't mind risking my life if it meant better odds for the rest of you. But the question is, would it?"

[Toaster]

"Let us trust in the shielding hands of Algis to keep us safe, for lo, we return from doing the Great Steve's work. We ride on blessed wings!"

[Kriellya]

The shuttles should be done with their nuke carpet bomb, though I can check with Steve. The plan was always for us to join back up with them after we loaded up. We're just adjusting the plan to the circumstances... Let me figure out how much longer we'll be in atmo. That's our highest-risk time.

[Radio Controlled]

((Actually, the shuttles that were supposed to pick us up were always the shuttles that had the nukes in them. That's the problem with the fact that Mission 19 was happening in our past. And time travel/retcons in general.

We have always been at war with Eastasia. Biff was always rich from the bets he won using that sports Almanac.))

(Are they though? That's not what I gathered from when I asked pw about it.))

The shuttles already in orbit are part of the distraction. You and Iveso are taking the same shuttle as everyone else. Try not to slow it down too much, fatasses.

((I thought 'are part of' meant they were still empty, and were going to 'help out' with the nuke shuttles for the distraction. If they suddenly were retconned into being the nuke shuttles, I'd have thought he would say "the shuttles already in orbit were retconned into carrying nukes for the distraction."))

[Kriellya]

((Actually, the shuttles that were supposed to pick us up were always the shuttles that had the nukes in them. That's the problem with the fact that Mission 19 was happening in our past. And time travel/retcons in general.

We have always been at war with Eastasia. Biff was always rich from the bets he won using that sports Almanac.))

(Are they though? That's not what I gathered from when I asked pw about it.))

(( when/where did you ask PW about it? I've just been having trouble finding it ))

[Radio Controlled]

((Actually, the shuttles that were supposed to pick us up were always the shuttles that had the nukes in them. That's the problem with the fact that Mission 19 was happening in our past. And time travel/retcons in general.

We have always been at war with Eastasia. Biff was always rich from the bets he won using that sports Almanac.))

(Are they though? That's not what I gathered from when I asked pw about it.))

(( when/where did you ask PW about it? I've just been having trouble finding it ))

((Just edited it in, heh.))

[Kriellya]

The shuttles already in orbit are part of the distraction. You and Iveso are taking the same shuttle as everyone else. Try not to slow it down too much, fatasses.

((I thought 'are part of' meant they were still empty, and were going to 'help out' with the nuke shuttles for the distraction. If they suddenly were retconned into being the nuke shuttles, I'd have thought he would say "the shuttles already in orbit were retconned into carrying nukes for the distraction."))

(( They weren't retconned into nuke shuttles, but they didn't come to the pickup, they were part of the distraction. There were some nuke shuttles, some empty shuttles, including what was already in orbit, and the two 'rescue' shuttles.

At this point, all the shuttles are 'empty', I think))

[Radio Controlled]

The shuttles already in orbit are part of the distraction. You and Iveso are taking the same shuttle as everyone else. Try not to slow it down too much, fatasses.

((I thought 'are part of' meant they were still empty, and were going to 'help out' with the nuke shuttles for the distraction. If they suddenly were retconned into being the nuke shuttles, I'd have thought he would say "the shuttles already in orbit were retconned into carrying nukes for the distraction."))

(( They weren't retconned into nuke shuttles, but they didn't come to the pickup, they were part of the distraction. There were some nuke shuttles, some empty shuttles, including what was already in orbit, and the two 'rescue' shuttles.

At this point, all the shuttles are 'empty', I think))

((That's what I thought, but Paris claimed otherwise. Still, it's wierd they couldn't spare 1 measly shuttle to help us carry everyone up, because every single one was needed to distract, but now suddenly they are available.))

[Kriellya]

The shuttles already in orbit are part of the distraction. You and Iveso are taking the same shuttle as everyone else. Try not to slow it down too much, fatasses.

((I thought 'are part of' meant they were still empty, and were going to 'help out' with the nuke shuttles for the distraction. If they suddenly were retconned into being the nuke shuttles, I'd have thought he would say "the shuttles already in orbit were retconned into carrying nukes for the distraction."))

(( They weren't retconned into nuke shuttles, but they didn't come to the pickup, they were part of the distraction. There were some nuke shuttles, some empty shuttles, including what was already in orbit, and the two 'rescue' shuttles.

At this point, all the shuttles are 'empty', I think))

((That's what I thought, but Paris claimed otherwise. Still, it's wierd they couldn't spare 1 measly shuttle to help us carry everyone up, because every single one was needed to distract, but now suddenly they are available.))

(( My understanding is that the empty shuttles scattered, tried to land somewhere to serve as cover, and are now coming back to the rendezvous with the empty nuke shuttles.
Honestly, the answer to 'why aren't there already 2 shuttles here' is probably 'we are derps and didn't bring 2.' ))

[DoctorMcTaalik]

Don't Panic.


...Or, try not to.

[piecewise]

Getting there. Keep going, big buddy. Where are the other shuttles, anyway...

Alright... Flint, if we brought over another shuttle, do you think you could safely transfer to it? I'm thinking we ask a shuttle to come escort us and possibly allow one of you to transfer, while having a few pairs begin ascending at the same speed as us in different directions.

Where are comms to the other... ah!

[Escape Plan v2.1]
Check where the other shuttles are right now (similar height? lower? clustered? total #? Done with bombs?)

Figure out how long we have until we hit space and until orbit.

Keep flying, keep watching, keep reporting.

Right now the other shuttles are over where the bombing is happening, acting as a decoy. As you no doubt remember, the plan was to, once they finish bombing, have each shuttle fly of in a different direction, to make it harder for the planet to attack any individual shuttle, and to divide its attention. The idea, if you wanted to do it, would be having some of those shuttle pass near you so you could move out with the rest of them, hopefully blending in. Otherwise, the idea is to tell the scattering shuttles to avoid you and that area, so hopefully you can, slowly, sneak away.

It will take you a while to get up  and into space, at least far enough away that it retaliating against you would be difficult.

[Doomblade187]

"I'm willing to take our chances alone, myself."