Remembrance

Chapter 4 - Aurelia

"Viztula's using surface-to-air systems," I shout over the collapsing building. "Seal the bay doors and engage at will." I jab a finger at the factory. "And destroy that tower."

The ship might be silent when calmly cruising over the city, but a loud whine begins to rock through the cabin as soon as the Weapons-Officer registers my command. He's activated both autorotary cannons. They're firing thousands of lead projectiles at the building. 

I glance back just in time to see them rip through the tower, coating it in a deadly-thick rain. The bullets hit the building so quick that the noise turns into one constant explosion of metal shattering against metal. It rings out across several blocks, deafening me. A large cloud of dust and debris is kicked into the air, engulfing the small tower in light smoke. 

My head snaps to the left, where the other airship's still gliding alongside us. I return the firm hand to the side of my helmet. "Begin operations," I say, my voice harsh. "And abort stealth."

The pilots in the farthest ship follow our lead, and they send two bright green pulses of energy  cutting clean through the building's tower. It collapses with a loud groan (almost like a dying animal, I think to myself) after several seconds of onslaught. The air might have been dusty before, but as soon as the tower blasts into the ground, debris is thrown everywhere. 

I point back at Adam. "Contact the Tower. Stealth has been terminated. Tell them to send a full unit and a medicrew for the downed ship." 

Now that we know we've lost the advantage of secrecy, we flip to the other option: full attention. Both ships begin flashing sirens and blaring ear-destroying alarms, easily loud enough to shatter any nearby glass. Several harsh white spotlights beam down onto the building, sharply outlining the scene and casting long shadows . A woman (I recognize Group-Leader Caito) starts speaking through the loudspeakers on the other ship: 

"This is the Internal Secret Police, acting under the authority of the Viceroy Imperator," she says, her harsh voice booming over the warehouse. "You are being detained for terrorist activity. Comply immediately."

They play that last part on loop, so that every three seconds Caito's comply immediately order echoes through the streets and buildings. As I turn to glance back at the building, the cannons rake over the warehouse. A large trail of dust follows the spray of bullets.

my eyes land on the gunship laying mangled in rubble. I unconsciously clench my fists. It would have been possible to survive, Aurelia, I tell myself. Your agents are in full assault armor. The building makes a large boom as it collapses onto the ship, until it's hidden completely under a pile of bricks. 

I look away, instead focusing on the men in my ship. "Maintain that pressure," I tell the Weapons-Officer, before moving to the pilot. 

"Get us down," I say. "Now. Blow the roof." He nods, and two bright streaks of light dart away from our ship, heading for the factory. It only takes them a second to reach the building and detonate against the clay bricks. With a bright flash of white and thunderous roar, a gaping hole appears in the structure. Surprisingly, it doesn't collapse. 

"Good." I nod and gesture at the gap. "Set us down there."

The other ship is still firing energy weapons over the building, leaving devastating red-hot lines crisscrossing left and right. I don't really expect them to do any damage, but they'll provide the illusion of danger. And that's exactly what we need right now, considering we've already lost a gunship. Still, now that we've destroyed that tower, it looks like the situation's under control.

Our ship begins to cruise forward, the pilot quickly bringing us to hover over the hole in the building. "Ship-three, this is Regiment-Leader Virtutem," I say through my headset, glancing out the canopy. "Begin landing on the far-side."