A/N - Right, I'm going camping over Labour weekend, so I won't be doing a lot of writing I'm afraid. So, just for you guys I've got an extra-long chapter of 1,500 words!
Oh yeah, as someone pointed out my mistake from chapter ten. -_- Camp Aros is actually in the WEST quadrant, not the east quadrant. I'll run back and change that... XD You might as well know, the west quadrant is where most of the Cloud Skimmer attacks happen.
As always, read and review if you have a suggestion or enjoy the story!
- AxleMC131
Nine
Camp Aros...
In fifteen minutes, the airships were prepared and floating free, barely blocks above the ground, and the tarmac airstrip was ready to launch the small formation of skitter planes arranged at the end of it. Voltus sat in Havoc in pole position, as the lead plane's wingman. Over the noise of Havoc's engine, he heard a siren sound. Assuming this was the 'Enemy approaching' siren, he glanced over at Chief Pilot Rick, in the plane next to him. Rick glanced at him, gave him a nod, then looked back down the length of the runway.
Voltus glanced behind him from the open cockpit. A fleet of six Fandel&Sons Sprite class fighter planes followed him, and behind them were three two-person Archimedes fighter-bombers. Rick beside him was flying a brand new SK-Maverick, a quick and nimble machine armed with four cannons. And then there was Havoc, the custom made skitter with a nine block wingspan, armed with two cannons, two spearguns, and a Bristol-X air-to-air missile between the wheels.
The formation of eleven planes all had their engines running, ready to take off at a moment's notice. Voltus turned his attention to a soldier who had just appeared out of the hangar and run in front of them, holding two large, orange paddles. He held them outwards in a 'Get ready' way.
"Skitter pilots, you may execute your pre-flight tests." Commander Ember's voice came through the comm. Making sure his safety restraint was properly clicked into place, Voltus switched his comm to test the broadcasting.
"Rick, you hear me?"
The response crackled through the earphones. "Yeah, I hear ya Volt. Ready to fly?"
"Heck yes." The pilot grinned. He looked over his shoulder at Havoc's double rudders, and wiggled the joystick. The rudders twisted in compliance. Check. He then did the same check for the wing flaps. Check. The engine in front of him was running smoothly, and the gun panel showed all systems clean and cool.
"Voltus, all controls green and ready to fly." He spoke into the comm. His message was copied by the other pilots.
"Rick, all controls green and ready to fly." The leader signalled the all clear shortly after, and Ember's voice came through again.
"Right Pilots, to recap. The force approaching consists of three medium airships and an escort of eight planes, mostly two person by the looks. The airships are slow but heavily armed, it may pay to stay high and avoid their fire. Try and take out the escort planes before targeting the ships. You are clear to take off!"
The man before the planes dropped the paddles to his sides, and the planes all gunned their engines. As yet their brakes were still engaged, but that was to change when the man raised the paddles again.
Voltus' eyes stayed focused on the runway ahead of him. Him, Rick and the two Sprites behind him were going up first.
The engines revved, straining the wheel brakes.
The paddles went up and the man ran off to the side of the runway.
Voltus let go of the brake lever and let Havoc roll forwards, quickly accelerating down the length of the concrete. He watched the speedometer with the corner of his eye, waiting for the plane to reach take off speed.
80 kilometres per hour... 100... 120... 150...
Nearing the end of the runway now, Voltus smoothly pulled back on the joystick, tilting the elevator flaps on the tailplane upwards. With a slight screech and a roar, the front wheel and then the back wheels lifted off the ground and Havoc angled gracefully upwards, over the trees and into the sky.
SBA Outer Defence Unit 4B...
Soarinbrine leaped up over a fallen log and ran up a small rise, exposing himself to the air briefly. Pausing for just a moment, he drew back an arrow on his enchanted bow, sighted onto the nearest Cloud Skimmer airship and let fly. A new arrow appeared out of nowhere in Soarin's hand, courtesy of the Infinity enchantment.
The flaming arrow whistled angrily away and struck the airship just below the gun deck. The flames lashed around the wood, catching and spreading slowly over the hull, but a figure appeared over the side with a sheet. They flapped it at the fire and extinguished it, but when they looked to where the arrow had come from, Soarinbrine had vanished again.
Without warning, a second arrow, this one longer and more slender and not on fire, struck the figure in the shoulder. They yelped in pain and drew back, dropping the sheet which folded and plummeted to the ground, still smoking.
Soarin glanced around and made for where this second arrow had come from. He knew who it belonged to, and had decided to meet up with her briefly.
"Mind if I ask a request of you?"
Opaline glanced down to the girl called Spanners, who was fitting another arrow to her longbow. "Uh, yeah, I guess."
Spanners nodded at her. "I just noticed you have a bow yourself." She gestured to the shortbow strapped to Opaline's back. "Want to give us a hand?"
Opaline frowned. "Um, sure. Who are you fighting anyway?"
Spanners heaved the bow upwards and aimed between the trees. "Well, seeing as you don't know anything, I'll try and explain it from the start." Sighting for just a second, she released the bowstring and the arrow shot off into the sky. "I am a soldier in the SkyBorne Alliance, who control this territory for dozens of biomes. We cover several kingdoms and cities, who live together in harmony. Follow me," she added, making as if to run back into the woods. Opaline quickly ran after her, again using her semi-flight power to catch up with Spanners, who was actually an incredibly fast freerunner.
"Several years ago," Spanners continued as she ran, "a group of airships who recognized themselves as Cloud Skimmers entered our territory. We didn't know who they were or where they came from, and when we tried to talk to them they just started attacking us. We destroyed them easily, but ever since then these Cloud Skimmers have been at war with us." Spanners stopped momentarily to duck under a low branch. Opaline followed suit before taking off again. "I come from an outer defence unit called 4B, in the southern quarter of SkyBorne territory. There are three airships attacking us I think, and we only have one to fight back with. Somewhere around here is-"
Again, Opaline heard the sound of twigs snapping and rapid footsteps. "That'll be him now," Spanners amended.
A man burst out of the trees and stopped inches before them. He was wearing a dark green, thin suit, and had a bushy brown moustache on his face. What caught Opaline's attention most was his eyes. They glowed a bright, pure white, and seemed to stare right into her soul. However, the rst of the man's expression seemed perfectly friendly.
"Opaline, this is Soarinbrine, my comrade," Spanners said quickly. "Soarin, this is Opaline. I ran into her in the woods. She has no idea who the Cloud Skimmers or the SkyBorne Alliance is!"
The man named Soarinbrine raised his eyebrows. "Oh, a traveller eh missy? Well, if you came to SkyBorne first you'll be in safe hands." He noticed Opaline's bow. "In fact, want to help out and see how we deal with these Cloud Skimmer bastards?"
Opaline pulled her bow off her back and fitted an arrow. "Might as well," she said. "I mean, there's not much else to do, wandering through the woods half your life." She shook her head. "I never guessed I would walk into the middle of an all out war though..."
Spanners patted her on the back. "Don't worry. We can handle them. Just remember, if you see a ship with blue and white flags, don't shoot it!" She started jogging back into the trees, Soarinbrine behind her.
Opaline ran to catch up. "Why not?" she asked.
Soarin looked over his shoulder. "Mainly because that's our airship! Toodles!" He grinned and split off from her and Spanners, disappearing into the trees as quickly as he had appeared.
Spanners stopped again and drew back another arrow. "Just follow my lead. How far can you fire?"
Opaline considered. "A fair way. I could probably hit them from here if I tried."
Spanners nodded. "Awesome. Just shoot where I shoot." And she sighted down the arrow, smirked, and let fly.