"Everyone out!" The group of Hunters from the 17'th were very confused, as they unhooked their harnesses and left the transport. But no one was quite willing to challenge Axl… maybe they somehow hadn't heard the order?

And they were more than far enough from the way from the blast site, anyway. Not having a transport would just delay their return slightly.

"What in HELL are you guys doing? Signas is going to gut you for this!" The transport pilot snarled, trying to ignore the gun Dagger was pointing at his head.

"Just go along with us. All will be well." Sebastian said soothingly, and the pilot calmed down slightly. It was hard to stay upset with Sebastian.

"And where do you want me to go? Hawaii?" The pilot asked sarcastically, and the communicator suddenly snapped on.

Axl, come in! What game are you playing at over there? It was Zero… X must have been busy with something or lost his communicator. Axl hesitated, hand over the communicator as he considered shutting it off. Then he shrugged and answered.

"Jennie is on the roof fighting the Maverick General. Her comm is malfunctioning, and we're going back for her." Iron resolve entered his voice. "No matter what you say. Sir."

That cowardly son of a bitch! That was where he went! There was a long pause, then Zero came back. Okay Axl, I've talked to Signas. You've got ten minutes to get her before we blow this puppy. Got it?

"Got it." Axl nodded sharply, then grabbed for a handhold as the transport jerked into motion. "Hey! What are you…"

"You heard the man." Snapped the pilot. "Ten minutes! Come on, baby, don't fail me now." He crooned to the machine as the transport fired up. The transport squealed in mechanical torture as he turned it towards the base, picking up speed.

"Dagger, Sebastian! Take the guns!" Axl ordered, and the two ran to obey. The transports had some weapons, mainly for defense. Now they would be used for offense. Axl went to the side of the transport and threw open the main doors.

"Woof!" He barely maintained his balance in the wind, and wondered if he should have told Sebastian to do this… he was much heavier and stabler then Axl or Dagger.

But it was too late to worry about that. Axl stared at the rapidly approaching Maverick HQ, sharpening his gaze until he could see Jennie clearly.

His heart clenched as he saw the brutal damage she had suffered. Her armor was scorched, sliced so deeply circuits were sparking in places. Her right arm was limp and useless, dragging at her and upsetting her balance. But the expression on her face made it clear that she was far from beaten. Her eyes burned with an unholy joy, and her face was twisted into a fixed snarl.

And the Maverick General didn't look happy at all. Axl's eyes widened as he took in the damage on the Maverick… an animal type, a black and gold eagle. Some of the rents in his armor had obviously come from a beam saber but it looked like Jennie had given as well as she had got. The scorches from her souped up buster were obvious, and as he watched the Maverick dodged a charged up shot but got hit by several small ones.

"When we get close enough, fire on him!" He ordered Dagger and Sebastian.

"Aye aye, sir!" Dagger caroled back. Then Axl waited, concentrating on keeping his balance as they got in closer.

The Maverick didn't notice them until it was far too late. Dagger and Sebastian weren't from the 16'th, and their first shots went wide. One of the second went wide, too… but the other slammed home, knocking the Maverick out of the air. Axl could faintly hear Jennie's shrill scream as she took full advantage of that and released a charged up shot on her enemy.

The Maverick disappeared in a boil of light, and Jennie looked around wildly for whoever had helped her. Her eyes widened as she spotted the transport… and the familiar person standing in the hatch.

"Axl!" She screamed, running to the edge of the roof. She had caught enough of Axl's transmission to know that she was in danger from explosives, although the details were a bit fuzzy.

"Why aren't you landing?" Dagger yelled at the pilot.

"We have three minutes left, that's why!" The pilot cursed them all vividly, and Axl snarled back.

"Then get closer!" Then he knelt, leaning out of the hatch. "Jennie, jump! JUMP! Catch my hand!"

Jump? Jennie stared up at him wildly. It was so far, but there was desperation on Axl's face. The transport bumbled closer… Jennie threw caution to the winds, and jumped, activating her dash boots at full thrust.

It was almost enough. But not quite. She fell short and slammed into the hull, digging the fingers of her left hand into the smooth metal. Desperation lent her frantic strength and she managed to hold on, fingers penetrating the steel alloy with all her might.

It wasn't enough. Jennie looked down, gripped by sheer terror as the landscape beneath her twisted. The pilot wasn't waiting and the wind threatened to rip her away from her frail perch.

"JENNIE!" Suddenly, Axl was sliding out of the hatch and she gasped.

"Axl, NO!" He gripped her arm but his feet were touching nothing. They began a slow slide down the hull, and Jennie thought wildly, Axl no we're both going to die-

Then large black hands gripped Axl's feet. At that moment, Sebastian's face looking down at them was the best thing she had ever seen.

He dragged them in easily, and then slammed the transport doors shut. Jennie stared at them both, speechless for a moment as she tried to catch her breath.

"Axl… Sebastian…" She managed, eyes filling with tears. "I'm going to kiss you both!" She grabbed Sebastian and kissed him firmly on the cheek. Then she released the startled Reploid, and did the same for a slightly more prepared Axl. His kiss was on the lips, and for a moment, she was lost in the sensation as his tongue slipped between her lips… His arms going around her…

"Ohhh, Jennie!" Unable to contain herself, Dagger hugged them both. But there was room for three, and Axl threw an arm around her as well. Jennie gasped as the kiss ended, and they all burst out laughing. Sebastian watched them with a slightly puzzled, but happy smile.

"You people are all nuts. Nuts nuts nuts…" The pilot grumbled. That only added to the lunatic hilarity of the moment, and Jennie finally collapsed against Axl, exhausted and drained.

"Oh! It's so good to be alive!"