by C. W Tickner
‘I didn’t think it could be done,’ Tess said, marvelling at the screen displays springing to life. ‘We’ve tried for years to get more than interior electronics and life supports online but nothing worked. How is Vorock doing it?’
‘He can access the power station remotely from this ship,’ Kane said changing the display on his screen, ‘Seems he has re-routed all power to the engines.’
‘Everything?’ Tess asked. ‘We didn’t think of that.’
The shaking intensified and the stars outside the dock’s door glided up as Orbital’s ancient engines shunted the huge ship downwards for re-entry.
‘How long is this gunna take?’ Troy asked, holding tight to handhold beside a rack of lockers.
‘It’ll be a slow descent,’ Kane said, ‘or Orbital will burn up.’
‘Burn up?’ Troy said.
The dark sky outside gave way to light as the atmosphere absorbed the descent. A yellow haze of lights scattered around the exit, flashing as if they were flying through a forge of heat and sunlight.
‘Fascinating, Kane said, ‘to see the effect of the atmosphere on such a large vessel.’
‘You would say that,’ Troy put in, trying to avert his eyes from the window to anything in the room.
‘When do we detach?’ Harl yelled above the sudden roaring noise that buffeted through the walls. How long the ship could take the heat?
‘As soon as Screw fires,’ Kane shouted, ‘then we join Vorock and fly through the hole the cannon makes in the barricade. We have only the one shot before the reactor blows so pray Screw gets it right.’
‘I’m not praying to anything,’ Harl murmured.
The roaring died as the yellow outside faded to a crystal clear sapphire and the shaking stilled.
‘Here,’ Kane said, bringing up a grimy computer display of the landscape below. A brown striped land mass ended at a narrow belt of water that encircled a large forest covered island. Even from so high it looked to Harl like a lily in a puddle of muddy water.
‘Is the Aylen ship still behind?’ Damen asked, unclipping a radio from his belt.
Kane switched another screen on showing a crude outline of two objects separated by black gap.
‘It’s staying in high altitude.’
Damen toyed with the radio. ‘Helicopters, standby.’
Damen grinned at Harl’s confusion. ‘You didn’t think I’d miss the chance to kill one of em. Got half a dozen helicopters at the ramp ready to go. Fancy joining the hunt?’
The ship juddered and a series of red flashes lit up the sky beyond the dock door.
‘We’re taking fire,’ Kane said, switching his attention back and forth from the console to the window. The video feed on the screen showed how close they were. The island filled most of the view across the water but a towering wall of black encased the small land mass. At first Harl thought it was on the edge of the island, a wall put up by the Compassionates. Then he realised the ring was floating on the water, midway between the larger continent and the island. An entire side of the wall wobbled on it’s base as turrets lining the top unleashed a torrent of red shots up at them. The turrets were perched on top of giant fence posts that protruded above the main wall, all were firing up or aimed out at the water.
A group of Aylens in armoured mech suits lined the outer perimeter at the narrowest point of the water firing at a lone Aylen who was wading out from behind a mountain of rocks.
‘Vorock is down there,’ Harl said, recognizing the Aylen’s battered mech suit.
‘Why hasn’t Screw fired yet?’ Sonora asked clutching the arm rest of the chair she was in.
Kane jumped as if he’d forgotten, flicking a radio switch on the control panel.
‘Screw you are clear to fire, repeat, clear to fire.’
Static crackled back as they waited for an answer. More shots battered Orbital, forcing tremors into the dropship as the larger ship absorbed the brutal barrage.
‘Screw?’ Kane tried again.
‘He hasn’t made it,’ Damen said, looking at Tess as if her medical knowledge might give her an insight into the engineers fate. She shrugged, turning pale.
Harl glanced at the screen showing the wall looming larger as they drifted down to the barricade.
‘If it’s not fired,’ Kane said, ‘then we will hit the wall.’
‘Can we go over?’ Troy asked.
‘We are going too fast to pull up above it,’ Kane said ‘and we’d be shot down if we tried. We can deal with a turret or two but if all of them can target us then...’ he trailed off.
‘I’ll go,’ Damen said, making for the door. ‘But tell Yara I love her.’
Harl didn’t know what to say at Damen’s unflinching courage. He didn’t have a chance to say a word as the big man disappeared out the door. He doubted their chance in the helicopters without Damen to lead the men but he knew he’d get the job done.
They waited.
‘We have got to get out,’ Kane yelled as a chunk of the docks exterior door ripped off, sucked back inside Orbital crashing into an empty bay and peppering the dropship with debris. Red shots whipped passed outside some striking the edge of the door, melting the metal hull of the ship.
‘Try him on the radio,’ Tess said, ‘he should be there by now.’
There was a clattering sound from the corridor and Damen stumbled into the room. He clamped a hand to his head and slid to the floor.
‘I’m here,’ he groaned.
Tess rushed across to him him ‘What happened?’ she asked, gently easing his hand away revealing a fresh, rapidly swelling bruise.
‘Well?’ Kane prompted when Damen didn’t answer.
Damen flinched, irritated as Tess produced and applied a salve from her tattered, greying bag.
‘No ones beat me as easy as that,’ Damen mumbled. ‘Fluke, that’s what it was.’
The ship rocked, metal plating flew passed the doorway. Damen made to move but Tess grabbed his shoulders digging her nails in and guided him to a vacant chair.
‘Sit still,’ Tess said, ‘or you’ll have two bruises.’
‘What happened!’ Kane shouted, making them all jump. He twisted around and stared at Damen, unwilling to back down.
‘Beaten by a blind man,’ Damen said, shaking his head.
‘Grandpa,’ Sonora said twisting around for the door.
Harl grabbed her shoulder, surprised at her strength but preventing her from following Gorman.
‘Stopped me in the tunnel,’ Damen said. ‘Said he had less time and a better sense of direction. Cheeky git even called me lad before putting me down like a child as soon as I touched him.’
Kane clicked on the radio. ‘Come in Gorman?’
Gorman’s voice crackled through the speaker. ‘I’m here. Screw didn’t make it.’
‘Are you familiar with…,’ Kane said but Sonora snatched the radio from Damen’s belt, cutting in.
‘Please Grandpa, don’t do this.’’
‘Hush child,’ he said, ‘it’s the only way.’
‘I don’t care,’ she said between sobs.
‘I’ve had my time,’ Gorman said, ‘and if I don’t hit this button then we all miss out. So take care of the little one as I took care of you. She’ll be a strong one I can tell.’
The radio hit the floor and she clasped her face, sobbing.
‘Tell Damen I’m sorry about his head,’ Gorman said, unaware of Sonora’s reaction, ‘but his skull’s thick enough.’
Damen leant in to Kane’s console, hand on his head. ‘You get the hunt this time old man, but we’ll meet when I find something too big to take down.’
‘There’s more to life than killing something because it’s bigger than you. You’ll know it in the end. Harl, lad?’
Harl picked up the fallen device. ‘Yes?’
‘I know you will do as we dreamed and find somewhere safe. I’m glad I could play a small part in the journey.’
Harl felt his mentor’s loss like a
mputated limb. It injected a pang of uncertainty through him and his family’s future.
‘We’d have been dead without your help,’ he said.
A portion of the dock roof caved in, the edges of the debris clattering down on to the dropship. A metal plate, scratched the wind shield, gouging a jagged line across it.
‘Here goes,’ Kane said, wide-eyed with excitement, a maniacal grin stretching his pale face.
As the dropship detached from the dock, the video feed on Kane’s screen of Vorock surrounded in the water below, turned to static.
Harl held Sonora, rocking with the ships movement and her wracking sobs.
‘When we’re out,’ Kane said, easing the ship towards the door, ‘I’ll get ahead of Orbital giving you time to launch the helicopters. Orbital’s retro thrusters will slow it down giving you time to help Vorock and clear any Aylens away from the wall and give Gorman a clear shot.’
Damen grunted, ‘easy for you to say.’
Kane ignored the jibe. ‘We’ll circle at the wall, come around again and once Orbital makes the hole, we’ll rendezvous and fly through.
Sonora had stopped crying, her jaw clenched and a determined look rested on her smooth face.
Light poured into the cockpit as the ship slipped out the crooked opening. Kane yanked the control stick right as brutal wind whipped the ship left towards the meteoroid pocketed hull. It smashed against the dock door, spinning the dropship and throwing the battered plating of Orbital in to view. The G forces tugged them all hard to one side of the small room.
A huge thud echoed through the ship. The spinning slowed as they bounced off the exterior, and Kane battled to regain control.
‘Too much weight in the back,’ Kane called. ‘Get the machines out.’
Damen clambered to the door with Dana in tow. He stopped and looked around at Harl but before he could join him Sonora barged in front.
‘Where are you going?’ Harl asked.
She spun on him, hands clenched as Damen and Dana scarpered out the door to avoid the sudden wrath.
‘To fight,’ she said, throwing her shoulders back and stepping up to him.
‘You can’t.’
As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew it was the wrong thing to say. He meant to say he didn’t want to lose her but his arrogance had won. He couldn’t bear to lose both her and Gorman.
‘You run off in to danger every chance you get,’ she said, jabbing a finger in his chest. He backed up a step almost tripping on Kane’s chair as the barrage continued. ‘And you have the cheek to tell me I can’t go?’
Harl stammered, ‘Elo?’
‘With Yara,’ Sonora said.
‘She needs you.’
‘No,’ she said, ’she needs both of us.’
‘Stay or go,’ Kane said, confident from his captain’s chair. ‘I need to concentrate.’
Sonora strode out the door. Harl trailed behind, fear for both of them gripped him. He took a deep calming breath. Do or die, he thought.
Chapter 35
Something is not right. We’ve had a report that the giant is coming but it is carrying a section of glass. The soldiers are preparing as usual but I have an urge to flee.
They grouped around one of the eight helicopters lined up in a cargo hold on the side of the dropship all facing a huge sliding door sealed from the turbulence outside.
They had squeezed passed dozens of scared families huddled in the corridors en route to the cargo deck. Questions shouted at them went unanswered as they had met four of Damen’s soldiers, eager to protect the ship and their families.
‘Got to make this quick,’ Damen said, hinging the cockpit roof up, revealing a single tattered seat inside surrounded by screens and buttons.
‘This,’ he said grabbing a stick protruding from the center of the seat between where the pilot’s legs would nestle. ‘Is the main control.’ He mimicked the movements on the stick as he gave instructions. ‘Forward tilts the machine at an angle and the blades drive it forward, same with left right and backwards.’ He tapped the diagram drawn on the front window. When the cross is on target it will light up green and the red button on top of the stick fires the weapon. He tapped the button.
A deafening bang burst from the gun barrels at the front of the helicopter tearing holes in the door as nearby crews scattered and dived for cover. Damen had turned bright red when Harl peered up from behind a pile of collapsed crates at the rear of the copter. Light filtered through bullet riddled door, revealing the sky racing beyond.
‘Weren’t meant to be on,’ Damen said. A smile stretched his beard, ‘going to work well against the big ones down there.’
He ran through a series of buttons and pedal controls and Harl thought his head would explode if it hadn’t been used to listening to Kane explain so much since he’d left home. Taking in new knowledge came easier than it had before and as he climbed in to the cockpit some confidence returned.
Harl looked left and right at the eight sleek helicopters fitted with wheels and waiting to be rolled out the open doorway.
Air billowed in, threatening to drown all the shouts of the crew scurrying around the machines. He had wished Sonora luck as she sat in her cockpit before he climbed up into the helicopter beside her. He wanted to drag her back out to the safety of the dropship’s cockpit, but resisted the urge. How did she let him leave? Regret flashed through him and a pang of guilt knowing he put her through this every time he left her.
Damen jogged over, head down as the rotors began to turn on all but one machine. He put a hand up on the angled glass hood that would lower and encase Harl in the cockpit. ‘Here,’ he said, sliding a drone flyer and radio into a storage gap behind the pilots seat. ‘If you need too, there’s a pull cord beside the seat it’ll fire the roof off.’ He winked, ‘don’t forget to put the drone under you before you jump.’
Harl forced a laugh but Damen shrugged. ‘People have done worse under pressure in combat.’
The rhythmic thwop of rotors grew as a pilot tested the throttle forcing Damen to shout as the wind intensified. ‘You’re going out fourth. Me first then Janus, Sonora and you. Expect the wind to pull you left when you drop. The crew will wheel us out one at a time, full throttle when you hit the edge.’
A voice split the cockpit. ‘Hurry,’ Kane said, ‘Vorock is pinned and two Aylens are blocking Orbital’s shot. Orbital’s retro’s are firing but you have to take them out soon.’
Damen wrenched the glass hatch down, sealing Harl inside then jumped up into his own copter and waved the foot crew to push him out. The blades turned slowly at first then thudded faster and faster, filling the hold with a noise louder than the roar of the wind.
The crew heaved Damen’s machine forward and pushed it off over the edge. He watched the wind pull the helicopter left before it dropped from sight. Deep breaths, that was key to staying calm. The next vehicle was wheeled forwards, the beat of the rotors matched his heart. Harl relaxed his shoulders and unclenched his hands.
Damen’s voice broke Harl’s thoughts, booming through hidden speakers in the pilot seat as the second copter was rolled off the edge. ‘Full right as you drop.’ Damen called, ‘The wind is- Janus, no!’
The copter ahead hovered for a moment then the air outside dragged the machine left ripping it into a spin and disappearing from view. He felt the rumble as it crashed into the side of the ship.
Could he abort? Sonora was next and he could only wait, hemmed in by the glass cocoon as she was lined up and rolled forward. He fought the urge to pull the cord and pop the top but his hand was already wrapped tight around it. He couldn’t lose her. He didn’t care if they thought him a coward, but before he could pull, her rotors whipped the air inside and the crew shoved the machine out the door. He almost yanked the cord as his hands tensed in anticipation of her drop.
She banked hard right and slipped from view. He relaxed his hand on the pull cord, let go and flicked the comms button. ‘Sonora?’
‘I’m fine,’ she said.
‘Good drop,’ Damen said. ‘Harl you’re next.’
Relief washed over Harl then shock as his helicopter juddered forward. The crew slid him towards the inevitable tipping point ahead. His mind went blank, his vision overwhelmed with the dozens of beeping buttons and flickering gauges. Gripping the stick he fought panic as the drop loomed closer.
‘Rotors, Harl!’ A man’s voice bellowed, as one of the men pushing him cut in on the comms, snapping him to action. He hit the engine rotor button, rested his free hand on the power stick and slid the throttle lever up. The cabin filled with the rhythmic loop of the blade just overhead. The copter dropped and he tensed as the epic view outside shifted beneath him, the distant ripples on the water and the dark wall towering high over it. Emptiness stretched underneath as the rotors battled gravity for supremacy.
A weightless lurch bubbled inside him as the helicopter claimed victory. A fraction later the beeps intensified and the whole machine spun left. He’d forgotten to bank right. He wrenched the stick hard, hoping he wasn’t too late and end up like Janus.
The stick vibrated, forcing itself against his efforts. If he let go he’d be thrown into a spin against the side of the dropship.
Levering the throttle down he dropped altitude, lowering the copter below the ship and away from the deadly hull.
‘Harl?’ Sonora called over the radio, ‘are you alright?’
‘Yes,’ he said, his heart pounding louder than the blades above his head.
This must be what the giant birds felt like, soaring across the world. He took a moment to loosen up, feeling how the controls responded to his touch. He could see Orbital far back behind them, small flares of yellow lit up across its bow. A flash above distracted him as a second helicopter cartwheeled into the side of the ship.
Damen’s voice roared over the radio, ‘Bank full right, dammit!’
Hovering, Harl watched as the last three machines dropped from the doorway and lined up neatly as they descended.
‘First three,’ Damen said, leading the pack, ‘will follow me and take the Aylen closest to the wall. The rest of you back Vorock up, help him get through. Hurry, before Orbital gets too close.’