The Fringe Wars

2.14

Ghost Ships

"The gunships will slaughter everyone," Reyne said. "Without heavy ground-to-air artillery, we don't stand a chance against them from the ground."

"We need to get to our ships," Critch said. "We can draw their attention away from the people."

"There's no time," Seda said, jackknifing the cruiser upward and speeding away in the night sky. "It would take you an hour to get to your ships. I can get to mine in three minutes."

Reyne looked to the sky, still not seeing the incoming ships. He turned around to check on Boden and Sixx to find each sitting silently in the seats next to Critch's crew. It was the first time in days that Sixx didn't look like his mind was somewhere else. It only took the threat of a gunship squadron to bring him back, Reyne thought humorlessly. In the hovercraft, everyone's eyes were wide and bodies tense, which was exactly how Reyne suspected he looked. After all, there was only one thing you did if a squadron of gunships was headed your way. Run.

Seconds felt like minutes as Seda's cruiser shot through the sky, breaking the sound barrier with popping sounds.

"You have a gunship?" Critch asked.

"No."

"Then it's no match against the CUF."

The cruiser slowed and descended sharply as they approached a tall hill illuminated by the planet's two moons. Reyne stiffened as they closed the distance to the hill. He didn't breathe until the cruiser skimmed over the ground and then flew in parallel to the incline.

"You're close enough I could reach out and pick a few flowers," Critch said drily.

Reyne's muscles cramped from tension. "You're going too fast."

Seda made no adjustment.

He grabbed the seat as the ground grew closer and closer. "Seda."

"Trust me."

"Still working on that," Reyne said.

"Seda," Critch joined in.

Someone in the backseat yelled just as the cruiser met the ground.

The cruiser then flew through the ground, to be more accurate.

"A hologram." Reyne deflated. "You could've told us."

Seda smiled.

Below the hologram, a long runway stood. A single hangar that could easily hold the entire fleet of specters stood at one end. What drew Reyne's attention and sounds of awe throughout the cruiser was the spacecraft powered up nearby that dwarfed the hangar.

"You have a warship," Critch said incredulously.

Reyne's eyes narrowed as he took in the ship. It was less than half the size of modern warships, but that didn't make it any less threatening. He remembered when the torrents had a fleet of them gliding through space. With smooth lines and an oval hull, she was beautiful. When he made out the name on the side, he smiled. "Not just any warship. It's the Raptor."

"Impossible," Critch said. "She was destroyed during the Uprising."

Seda shook his head. "It was only damaged. It didn't burn up in the atmosphere as was rumored."

"I think I'm in love," Boden murmured from the backseat.

"Get ready to move," Seda said. "We need to switch ships without any delay."

Seda brought the cruiser down hard and fast, but slipped it into a softer landing than Reyne had expected. He'd been so nervous during the flight that he'd failed to notice that Seda was an impressive pilot. "How many times have you flown the Coastal Run?" he asked Seda as they left the hovercraft and jogged over to the warship.