... A graveyard.

...

And I don't mean that as a euphemism for a battle or anything it was an ACTUAL graveyard.

A long line of freshly-turned spots of soil scattered the area, mostly within the shade of the treeline. Crosses made of bamboo tightly lashed together marking each plot. There was a small pile of food placed near the marker of each individual grave, military food rations mostly, likely belonging to the deceased, set out carefully on their tins. Flies were already starting to buzz around the offerings, though there were probably enough preservatives in the corn that they hadn't even gone near it yet. Scattered around each plate, was a smattering of bills, mostly small-notes in Vietnamese Dongs.

Some of the crosses had an opened wallet leaning against them with a pictured-ID, like a Driver's license or the like, likely belonging to whoever was buried there.

The rest of the fleet came up behind me, as Lao moved forward, examining the surroundings carefully. I floated in behind her, for once, the potential threat of stepping on something overrode her need to keep me within sight.

I looked off to the side, and saw that a few piles of dirt had yet to be filled in for a few graves.

I hoped they were empty.

"This was turned recently," Lao said, kneeling down to look at the soil on the nearest grave, she reached out, but thought better of it, simply placing her hand back at her side.

"Yeah," I said, quietly, "looks like there's still some spots to fill, look," I pointed at the un-filled graves.

Lao nodded quietly, before her eyes widened, "Those corpses we found back there? She must not have gotten to them yet."

I nodded along as Chitose moved over, "That means she's still close by, right?"

"Probably, though whether or not she wasn't scared off by a sudden explosion in the distance, I dunno," Lao said, giving me the stink eye, which I found so adorable I just wanted to reach out and pinch her cheek. Even as I rubbed the back of my head, embarrassed, Lao rolled her eyes, "Look, if it were anyone else I'd say we fan out to look for her, but well..." she glanced at my eye, before shuddering "I don't think that's a good idea."

"We could wait here for her, right?" Hakone said, having crested the rough climb behind us, "she isn't finished, so she'll come to us, right?" She nodded towards the empty graves.

While the Cruiser talked, I suddenly heard a small sound, a small squeak, like someone had cut off a short gasp, it was so quick I almost thought I misheard it.

I looked toward the nearest dug pit, where an entrenching tool was still shoved into the dirt nearby.

...

I shook my head and turned away.

"That's assuming she didn't hightail it out of here already," I started, "but... I suppose we can give it a go, or look for any tracks?"

"I do not see any drag-marks," Diane said cautiously, casting a sweeping glance over the loose dirt, "she would have retrieved the bodies further out, correct?" She asked.

Chitose shook her head, "She'd be strong enough to lift them entirely, there probably wouldn't be any-" She stopped.

I floated over, "You alright?" I inquired.

She turned, tilting her head, "I think I hear something."

I quieted my voice, "You think it's her?" I asked, looking around furtively. The realization that we could be watched right now raised my hackles a little.

I narrowed my eyes, looking back at the open grave contemplatively.

Chitose frowned, "No, it sounds like..."

Lao scratched her head, squinting, "Rotors?" She looked off the ledge of the rocky outcropping we stood on, listening intently.

*Woppa woppa woppa woppa woppa*

I followed the Frigate's gaze and, sure enough, so distant it was a mere speck at first, a helicopter crested the mountains to the South. Flying relatively low, it eventually passed by a mere few hundred meters from where we stood.

*WOPPA WOPPA WOPPA WOPPA WOPPA* The treetops rustled a little as it passed.

I turned to Lao after a moment, "That one of yours?" I asked.

She shook her head confusedly, still following the craft with her eyes, squinting against the sun, "That looks like an Iroquois, we still have a handful up North, but I can't see any reason for it to be here. unless it's making a pickup?"

"Risky, hmmm, though they might not know the Abyssals started up their airstrikes again... Should we hail them?" I asked.

"I guess?" Lao straightened, puffing herself up a little, why she felt the need to do that for a radio call I had no idea, "This is Commander Pham Ngu Lao of the VPN, how copy?" There was nothing but silence for several moments, before she tried again, "I repeat, unidentified aircraft, this is VPN Kanmusu Commander Pham Ngu Lao, please respond how copy?" She repeated the phrase in what I assumed was Khmer and Vietnamese.

Damn her full name is a mouthful, no wonder I just called her Lao.

The Frigate tried a third time, before turning to us, "Whoever they are, they aren't responding," she shrugged.

"Maybe they are on a different frequency?" Diane offered.

Lao shook her head, "I already tried, just dead static," she said, a little mystified.

"Hey! look! They're turning around!" Hakone said excitedly, pointing at the helo, who, as she had said, was performing a slow turn, coming back around towards where we stood on the small bluff.

...

It wasn't slowing down...

"Hey..." I said, starting to sound a little worried, "Iroquois arent, like, combat craft, right?"

Lao looked askance at me, a little confused, "No? They are just used as utility craft these days, why?"

I pointed at the rocket pods hanging out the sides.

Lao's eyes widened, "Oh."

We scattered wordlessly as the Helo opened fire, missiles impacting the ground where we'd been standing a moment prior, while 'comparatively' large-caliber gunfire strafed us, sending plumes of dirt into the air in stitched lines.

I looked back to where we'd been standing, the rocks hadn't taken the harsh treatment well, and there was now a gaping crater in the bluff we'd been standing on. If we'd fallen down that... it was a loooong drop.

I suddenly realized I had no way to shoot a helicopter. I did, however, have people to do that for me.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" I screamed over the terrible racket as it passed over us again, turning to make another pass, "return fire! Swat that fly!" I ordered, my girls made to obey before Chitose called out.

"Wait! They might think we are Abyssals!" Chitose said over the din, the girls pausing.

I looked at her askance, making an encompassing gesture with my outstretched finger "We ARE Abyssals numb-nuts!" I cried, giving the girls confirmation as the helo lined up for another strafing run.

"That's not what I me-"

The girl's AA fire was complete overkill, perforating the canopy of the helicopter and splintering the rotor, sending the blades careening off in every direction. The fuselage caught fire, turning the aircraft into a fiery comet as it began...

To...

...

Ahhhhh Shieeeet!

"Scatter!" I yelped, urging Scooter towards the treeline as everyone else instinctively made to avoid the crashing vehicle. I hopped on Scooter's nose before diving into one of the open graves, the Helo crashing into the ground nose-first from what sounded like scant feet away.

I landed with a muffled 'Oof!', immediately followed by Scooter and the Wonder Twins, who piled in after me.

...

You know, now that I thought of it, it probably wouldn't have done all that much damage, right? I mean, it was a bit of an overreaction-

"P-Please!"

I looked down, only now realizing I had a girl pinned beneath me, I couldn't make out her features, as she was laying face-down, but she couldn't have been all that bigger than me.

...

Oh my god, this grave was occupied.

"You're c-crushing me!" She continued plaintively.

WITH A ZOMBIE!

I leaped up, "AAAAH!"

The girl, now able to turn from where I'd landed between her shoulder blades, looked up at me, catching a good look of my one glowy eye, "AHHHHH!"