The Experiment

[caylith]

Ember heard the commotion in the hanger bay long before they got there. She could only hope that Silver handled everything, though she knew he had and had probably done a little more.

They rounded the corner into the hanger into complete bedlam. There were dragons and suited soldiers keeping the Kusari troops at bay. The fire fight was intense and gave Ember and Romer a window to run toward the train and up the ramp.

--
"Go, go, go!" Ember yelled. "Close the hatch, we've got to get out of here." Ember positioned herself next to Romer and strapped in. Silver came up behind her to confirm everyone was inside and accounted for. He told her they had a little extra of help from SiN Tech and the Blood Dragons and GC were waiting for the word to attack. Thank god, Ember thought, we need all the help we can get.

"Good. Thank you Silver. Romer, how fast can we get out of here? The sooner the better, man"

"Don't know girl, calmyourshelf, we'll be fine," Romer said in his usual nonchalance way but it was even more amplified since he was drunk. "You're gonna haff to helph us to get away, i'm seeing two of everything right now." Romer whipped his head to stare at Ember. "Hold on, gotta set a course to the Sig 13 Jump hole. When I say go you push thish button and pull thish lever, mmkay?" Romer sat back, "Eshtimated time to launch: two minutes. Let's get thish puppy out of here." The engines began to turn.

"You better sober up and do it soon. Okay, radio the Blood Dragons. Tell them to begin the attack in one minute."

"Beginning lausching sequench," Romer began. "Nows I need your helph. Go!"

They launched into a hornets nest and the transport immediately began to shake as it was targeted by chimaeras. The space outside of Atka was alive with firepower. The Blood Dragons and Golden Chrysanthemums were dogfighting with the Kusari forces. Ember also saw a wing of eagles engaging the chimaeras. They must be the extra help Silver was talking about, she thought, thank goodness for them. Just a little distraction was all they needed.

There was only one thing on her mind at this moment; survival. The adrenaline had kicked in quite some time ago but now it went into overdrive. She engaged the cruise engines and hoped like hell she did it right. The cruise engines were beginning to come online as Romer began to manuever the train toward the jump hole. They had a distance of 10 k to cover to get to it.

Most of the Kusari fleet had turned their guns onto the transport as soon as it launched. By doing so, they left themselves completely vulnerable to the might of the Blood Dragons and GC. Four chimaeras were immediately taken out when they disengaged from the dogfighting to turn on the train. This caused only more confusion within the Kusari forces. They could not turn and engage the transport without taking damage from behind, just the distraction Ember had hoped for.


The comm channel crackled to life, "This is GC, Alpha 7, we've got your six." Just then the engines lurched forward and the chase began.

"I've got a little helph for ush up ahead," Romer blurted.

"What the devil are you talking about? We've got a whole wing of Chimaeras on our tail. Focus on flying this thing and getting us out of here!" Ember wanted to reach over and smack some sense into him.

"Jush wash," Romer was fiddling with the radio, "Corsairs, this is trader Beta 5 9, we've got a little surprise for you. Got a whole squashdron of chimaeras. Feel free to take your pick. Jush do me a favor, don't shoot the others."

"This is Corsairs, Green 7 to Beta 5 9, roger that! We've got you covered, Romer."

Ember shook her head in disbelief. She hadn't even thought of the corsairs that would be milling around the jump holes on both sides. If Romer hadn't thought to radio ahead...she didn't even want to think what would have happened. He couldn't talk while drunk but at least he could still think.

They came within sight of the jump hole, a swirling mass of light. Situated around it was a formation of 12 centurions and 3 titans.

"When I shay the word, hit thish, it will dock ush. Not gonna cut the cruishe engines."

The Corsairs broke formation and began targeting the chimaeras. The Blood Dragons and Golden Chrysanthemums must have been contacted by the Corsairs as they did not engage each other. It was a sight to see, it almost looked choreographed the way they were flying.

"Okay, hit it!" Romer yelled.

Ember pushed the docking sequence and they were sucked into the hole.

--
"Get ush back up to cruishe," Romer said.

On the other side were fifteen centurions waiting for any naval forces that may have broken through. They immediately headed into the Crow Nebula and into the gas clouds.

The comm channel crackled to life again, "This is GC, Alpha 7. Naval forces destroyed, we're breaking off and heading home."

"GC, Alpha 7, thanks for all your help back there. You will be paid handsomely for your help," Ember replied and shut down the channel. "Can we back off the cruise now? I need to go see if Silver is okay."

Ember unstrapped herself and made her way into the cargo hold. "Silver, we've shaken the navy off our tail. We should be in the clear now. Are you guys okay? Is there anything I can get for you?" Ember asked, just about the time the sensor alarm began flashing and making an awful racket. She could hear Romer yelling from the cockpit. Ember and Silver looked at each other and ran.

"What is it? Did the navy get through," Ember asked, out of breath with her hands on her knees. When she looked outside the window she began to lose it, "What the hell is that? I think i'm going to be sick." Ember fell to her knees.

Romer turned to them both. "That ish a cruiser and not jush any cruiser. That's a huegenot. What itsh doing out here is beyond me," Romer turned to look out again and started shaking his head. He turned back to say something but stopped. "Where'd he go?"

Ember looked around the whole of the cockpit. Silver was nowhere to be found.

Another alarm sounded: 'Warning. Cargo hold comprimised."