The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 21.3

"I am now. Hope busted me out of the hospital."

He scowled. "Hope, I thought I told you to go straight to the evac point!"

Hope raised her voice, but kept her eyes straight ahead. "Well, good thing I didn't! Some goons were trying to drag Faith away."

"Okay." Moon held up his hands. "We can talk about this later--"

"Yes, let's..." Hope growled, gritting her teeth. Her voice took an angry edge. "We have lots to talk about!"

"Where are you now?"

Faith answered while Hope executed a tight turn. "We are in the flyer heading towards the canyon. Some more of those goons are chasing us in two other flyers. And they are shooting at us!"

Moon lowered his eyes and manipulated a control panel. "Okay. Here's the plan. In..." He paused. "In twenty-eight minutes, we will do an atmospheric quantum insertion above the canyon rim. Make sure you are on the ground by then. It makes one hell of a pressure pulse."

Hope's mouth gaped. "Dad, are you crazy?" Coming out of quantum space within an atmosphere is incredibly dangerous.

He shrugged. "I've done it once before. No worries."

Hope huffed. I hate it when he says that!

Gabriel leaned into the view. "Hope, take them through the slot. That should shake them off." He put on that cheesy grin of his. "I can't wait to watch Dad kick your butt!"

Hope grumbled while executing another turn. Another plasma bolt shot past. "If we make it, you can all kick my butt."

Moon growled, narrowing his eyes. "Everyone focus! Or I'll kick everyone's butt."

Hope inwardly smiled. Gabriel's teasing actually inspired a measure of confidence in her, easing the tension in her chest. He had presumed she would be alive and well for the butt kicking.

Faith pointed ahead. "There's the canyon."

A series of tight turns, weaving between craggy hill tops and rock monoliths, brought them to the rim. Tumbling white water sparkled below where it met the sunbeams. Hope pushed the control yoke forward, diving into the canyon.

Diving into the canyon, the tall red rock walls swallowed them up. Hope skimmed the churning water, following the curves of the river and dodging enormous boulders along a long bend that swept around a towering rock spire.

Faith gazed behind. "They're not following so close now. And they stopped shooting."

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

The canyon narrowed with the walls growing higher and steeper, limiting the maneuvering room. Ahead, the walls closed in, forming a dark narrow passageway. The river gushed through it, churning in turbulent fury.

Hope shouted out. "Gab, we are coming to the slot. How do I take it?"

"Stay low to avoid the overhangs." he replied over the viewer, "And make sure you bank hard left the second you enter or you'll become a greasy smear on the side wall."

"Wonderful..." Hope rolled her eyes.

Gabriel grinned. "You've got this, Hope. Just like we did before."

Despite their sibling rivalry, his affirmation warmed Hope. Gabriel had flown through the slot once with her as a passenger. But they were both grounded for ten days once their father discovered the daredevil stunt.

Hope took the flyer low enough above the white water that the fans kicked up a trail of mist behind them. She firmed her jaw. "Here we go!"

Shadows engulfed them as they entered the slot. Hope shoved the yoke hard left, banking the flyer along the curving walls. Again, forces pushed the sisters against their seat restraints. The flyer lurched as the undercarriage scraped against rock. After two long seconds within, they emerged beneath a red rock overhang and back into the sunlight, leaving the slot behind.