Skyways and Six-Guns

The Dragoon Corps

"Aria! Get down!" The mountain of a man dragged her to the ground just as a flash of black metal soared by their heads. The aerocycle erupted into flame and twisted aluminum as it hit the wall. "Thanks Tyson, that thing almost sheared me in half", the Captain brushed off her leather jacket.
Tyson brought his weapon to bear against their challengers, "I think they know we're here now!" He yelled, firing a few rounds down range. One of the two figures dropped to his knees, blood soaking the thick cotton shirt he wore. Captain Aria Fletcher drew her .357 magnum revolver and put down the second outlaw. "Well, great. Where's Kimmel?" She glanced around the rooftops but couldn't find her second in command.
Tyson punched in his radio, "Augustus! What's your position?" A crackle of static came back. "I guess he's not available", a large sphereoid blacked out the sky overhead. The low hum of electric turbines vibrated the floor below them, "We better get out of here", Aria holstered her gun. She turned on her heel and bolted towards the nearest residential block, Tyson followed close behind.
"So", the bulky man gasped, trying to intake as much air as possible, "What's the plan Captain?" They slid into a back alley between two metallic structures, trying to hide from their pursuers. "The plan? Hasn't changed, we just have to get a little more creative than usual. I wasn't anticipating an ambush, did you see what that guy did? Crazy!" She peered around the corner to make sure they hadn't been found. "Yeah!" Tyson laughed, still sucking oxygen from the run, "The guy you shot jumped off of his bike, I guess he wanted to impale us with it."
Aria nodded, checking her surroundings, "Get Jake or Evelyn on the line, see if they're in the docking area. We might need them soon." He put his hand to the earpiece on his head and got to work, trying to break through the radio silence. Captain Fletcher tapped him on the shoulder and pointed towards the opposite alleyway, "We should get to the Eastern docks, they'll try to make an escape after realizing what they're up against."
Aria drew her sidearm and moved into the darkened street, only the clear blue sky overhead offering any illumination. They walked through the residential block to the cities outskirts, the roads ended abruptly. "You know, I never get used to the altitude", Tyson remarked, as he gazed down towards the wheat fields below them. "Few people ever do, usually it's just the ones who lived here since their construction", Fletcher scanned the rooftops in hopes that her commander would pop out of the shadows.
Tyson pressed his earpiece and attempted once more to get a hold of their ship. "Ground team, this is Evelyn, what's going on down there? I'm seeing quite a few LAV's moving on the New Philadelphia skyline, looks like they're headed for the docks." The Captain patched herself in, "Copy Evelyn, we're heading there ourselves. If you could help us locate XO Kimmel we'd much appreciate it." A sound of worry penetrated the pilot's voice, "Augustus is missing? I'll get Jake on it right away."
The navigator jumped on the line himself, "Aug's off the grid? I'll locate him, you guys get after that gang." Fletcher pointed down the street towards the docks, motioning for Tyson to follow, "Alright, sounds good, get to it, we'll be in touch." She disconnected the call abruptly, "When we get paid for this job, I'm going to upgrade our personal transponders." Graves made a quick glance down the street, "I told you it was a good idea, but Aria always has to upgrade the ship. Let's be quick about this, I see a couple zeppelins docking, could be their getaway."
Aria attempted to ignore his sarcasm as the two guns for hire erupted into a dead sprint for the nearest building, hoping to find a good position before the criminal group finalized their evacuation. They clambered up a fire escape four floors to the roof of a small apartment complex, across the street sat a multitude of dirigibles all tethered cleanly to the light outer framework of the docks. Tyson crawled to the edge of the structure and pulled a small canvas bag from the butt pack slung around his waist, he pushed the square case slowly towards his partner.
Fletcher drew her revolver and opened the tan pouch, a scope, extended barrel, and stock lay folded inside it. She made quick work of assembling the modifications, not wanting to lose any time with the outlaws. The revolver was at last converted into a fully capable marksman weapon, Aria leaned back against a solar panel and calmed her breathing. The view through the scope was restricted, but she could see quite a few gang members around the zeppelins. "Hey Tyson, how many of these criminals were on the job description?"
The man unfolded a piece of paper from his pocket, "About 12, why?" She lowered her weapon and sighed deeply, "Because I just estimated over 50 already down there, more are unloading now." They looked at eachother, grim emotions playing across their features. "So... What do we do? The government won't pay us more for taking them all out, a contract is a contract", Graves scratched his head. Fletcher glanced upwards at the windmills that helped power the city, "I hate it when intelligence turns south, they told us this was supposed to be a simple job. Now we have to decide whether it's even worth it or not."
Suddenly their radio connection came alive, "Captain, Evelyn here, Jake located Augustus' signal." Fletcher eagerly awaited the answer, "Yes? And?" The pilot's voice was worried, "He's moving fast in your direction." Aria traded glances with Tyson, "How fast, exactly?" Evelyn tapped out a few commands on her control board, "I'd say he's on a vehicle, fast mover too, probably an aerocycle. I'll upload his signature to your tracker."
Fletcher pushed her sleeve up and turned her wrist over, the small computer screen showed known friend or foe tags across the city. A small blinking blue light was moving rapidly into the screen. "Tell Jake I owe him one, standby for further orders. Team one, out." She cut the connection and turned her attention to the Boulevard on their left. The distinct sound of a high-powered vehicle rose in the distance. "You think that's the XO?" Tyson crouched down to avoid being spotted by the airborne unit.
Two cycles soared past them, the trailing machine carried two bodies. "Actually, yeah I do think it's him", Fletcher blinked in the turbo-fan's wash, "I just didn't want it to be like this." The second scout craft was carrying Augustus, who happened to be unconscious at the time. His form slumped over as the bikes landed, nearly toppling off of its perch. The pilot was joined by his wingman in dragging their prisoner into one of the dirigibles for storage.
"We've got to go get him back", Graves began to peer over the edge at the gang operation below them. "Not alone", Aria pulled him back into cover, "We'll get cut down by those criminals, they outnumber us twenty five to one. We'll have to find another way through this mess, one that involves less shooting." She pointed to the large cargo ship to their left, "That's not something any small group of bandits could afford, they likely have some serious trafficking operations going down somewhere. We'll follow and see what happens, it's the only way."
Tyson cocked an eyebrow, "What about the government? We could get reinforcements from them, maybe put up another contract?" The Captain scowled, "it's worth a shot, though I'm not sure what exactly they're going to do about it. Why pay more Dragoons to fight when they could risk our lives for a small chance at victory? Putting out more contracts isn't profitable." Graves nodded in solemn dispair, "I know, they aren't affected by our losses. Someone else will replace us I'm certain, another ship and crew will clean up the mess."
As the highly intricate turbo-fans spun to life inside their cases, a man clad in body armor stepped to the front of his ship. A booming voice came through the dock's loudspeakers, "We know you're out there, so I'll just make this quick. You Dragoon scum have made my operation here a living nightmare, today I'm going to return the favor. Thanks for the prisoner, I'm sure he'll be of plenty use to us in the future. We'll see how thick your resolve truly is with the loss of a friend on your conscience, have a nice day."
Aria was speechless, she wasn't prepared for her first mate to be captured. Augustus was a soldier at heart, if anyone was prepared to venture off on their own it was him. "Let's go", she whispered to the man next to her. Tyson cocked an eyebrow, "Are you kidding? Down there?" Fletcher began re-packing her revolver's long range components, "No, back to the Balance of Power. Get Evelyn on our position."
"If she brings the gunship anywhere close to those docks they'll have 105's on her within seconds." Aria nodded, "No, not to the docks, we're going up there." She pointed to the roof of a building a few blocks away, "Hope you've been keeping up on your cardio Graves." Captain Fletcher laughed as she started off towards the spire ahead. Tyson followed closely as Aria clambered up the small tower, gripping rung after rung of an aluminum ladder. The howling wind made it difficult for Graves to hear Evelyn, "Balance of power, do you copy? The Captain and I need a pickup on the central tower in the next few minutes."
Her voice came back crackled by static, "We're coming!" She shouted, "What about Kimmel?" Tyson forced his arms to carry him upwards, "We'll explain later, just get here as fast as you can!" He grimaced as they neared the top, his whole upper body burned from their constant battle against the wind. "I hate being up here!" He shouted to Captain Fletcher, trying not to look down. He could feel the flexible metal sway as they neared the top. The wind suddenly grew louder as an ominous shadow glossed over them. The unmistakeable whine of the Balance's performance engines drowned out everything.
The scout craft rounded the spire and came face to face with the two gun-fighters. It ascended to the top of the structure and lowered it's boarding platform. The small piece of metal thrummed with the gunship's vibrations, making the jump more dangerous than it already was.
Captain Fletcher lept from her position on the ladder and grasped one of the platform's connecting rods. She slid down its length and landed softly on the minimal floor space, motioning for Tyson to follow. He gripped the ladder as tight as he could, afraid to make the jump. A voice blared in his ear, "Get on the ship Graves! Lighter than air vehicles can't handle high winds like this, a couple more seconds and I might not be able to hold our position!" Evelyn fought to maintain control as the gusts did their best to wreck the ship.
It was easily a ten foot jump to the platform below him, the odds were slim at best that he could make it. "I hate doing this!" He yelled, gathering all the force possible into his legs. With one springing motion the large man flung himself into the air, landing hard on the polished titanium. The whole craft shook as his weight threw it off balance. Immediately the pneumatic rods took them into the belly of their gunship.
The electric engines purred as they gained altitude, Evelyn's voice came over the intercom system. "You might wanna hold on, gotta do some crazy maneuvers to get outta here." The two slid across the small compartment as their pilot took the diminuitive vehicle through it's paces, gliding amidst the silvery towers. When they cleared the city the intercom came to life with an announcement of the passengers ability to now move freely about the cabin. "Always a joke to her isn't it?" Tyson rubbed his bruised forearm. Aria was already on the move towards the command center, "Or don't respond to me, that's cool too."
The bridge was barely more than a cockpit, lighter than air vehicles weren't meant to be bulky and overcrowded. The golden sun shone brightly over the grasslands below them, "Where are we headed, ma'am?" Evelyn cocked an eyebrow at her Captain. Fletcher gazed at the blue sky overhead, "Take us to Washington, we need to request another contract. We're not taking out those criminals with two combatants, they'll send more Dragoons if we approach the situation correctly. We have to make them understand what could happen if this gang isn't taken out immediately."
Jake punched in a few commands from the seat next to her, "I got your co-ordinates all set, just follow the way-points and you'll be good to go." Captain Fletcher nodded appreciatively, "Alright, you two obviously have things under control. I'll be in the observatory if you need my help, call for me when we get within five miles." She backed out into the corridor that ran along the spine of their gunship and found what she was looking for. A ladder built into the wall that ascended up into the lift tanks.
She crawled through a small tunnel and into the observation room, barely enough space for a reclining seat and one small bookshelf that Aria had installed upon ownership of the vessel. She relaxed as the seat conformed to her needs, the room was originally designed for navigation and observation only, when her refit had been complete it was also a private study. To the Captain it was even more, one of the few places she could really get any thinking done. The panels slid back to reveal a sky filled with the airships of a new century, their alloy skins covered with solar panels. The large cargo ships sailed smoothly through the jet stream, off to destinations far away.
The world that came about after the collapse was different than any that existed before, a mix of renewable energy and old technology. Society changed significantly in the years after, even the Dragoons were a product of the post-fossil fuel age. Fletcher slid her hand across the glass dome overhead, prompting it to tint itself against stark sunlight. A heads up display appeared, giving her all the navigational data necessary to find what she needed. "Jake, have you been keeping an eye on Augustus' signal?" His voice echoed through the corridor below. "Of course! They're gaining altitude, probably going for the upper layers of the aerial industrial sector. I'll keep tabs on them, make sure we have their location at all times."
Aria felt bad about relaxing while her second in command was imprisoned, but if they were to get him out she'd need to have a plan ready to go. Pacing around in frustration and anger wouldn't solve anything. She spent the rest of their voyage across North America identifying the infrastructure above them, trying to find their base of operations. She played with the controls on her chair, using the relay balloons to get information on everything around them. The lack of fossil fuels meant space-craft were largely unused, satellites couldn't be repaired or maintained thoroughly and soon began to shut down. High-altitude hydrogen balloons were the new alternative, capable of gaining similar information albeit at a smaller scope.
The ambient sound of the wind lulled Aria into a deep drowsy state from which she wouldn't recover. The exhausted Captain fell into a deep sleep as they sailed steadily towards the Capitol.
Jake clambered halfway up the observatory ladder, "Captain, we're within the security zone. Air traffic controllers are awaiting your contract code, ma'am." Aria groaned as she slid out of the chair, her arm had fallen asleep. She moved to the bridge, putting on her leather jacket as she did so. A voice came loud and clear over the intercom, "Inbound LAV, this is tower 5, please surrender registry number as well as contract code." Fletcher rattled off the combination of numbers and letters that would keep her crew from being targeted by anti-air. "Thank you Balance of Power, you're set up for docking at gate 497E, it's good to have you back." Aria didn't respond, it didn't feel too good without her first officer onboard.
The small gunship approached a large concrete slab, it was easily miles across and speckled with dirigibles of every shape and kind. Evelyn banked into a tight turn and brought the craft into a hover, barely a hundred feet off the ground. The dock workers backed off when they realized who was flying, Evelyn Barrett had a reputation among the ground crews as being reckless. Some of the more experienced hands knew that she was also one of the best, they stood by as she fired the grappling chains. The metallic claws clamped onto latches in the concrete, bringing the gunship towards the ground. Four landing pads extended out from the hull, balancing out the ship's weight as Evelyn killed the engines.
"Alright, Tyson and I will go to the commissioner's office and see what we can do about this little situation. Jake stay here with Evelyn and find out what you can about those outlaws, location, defenses, whatever you can get from the high orbit balloons." Fletcher walked along the central corridor towards the back of the gunship, she hit the bulkhead with her fist. A voice drowned out the mechanical operations behind the door, "Yeah?" An older man of about 50 slid the hatch aside, "Oh, sorry ma'am, didn't recognize your voice over the systems." She waved her hand, "Its fine Dirk, do you want to come ashore with Tyson and I? You've been back here for the last couple weeks without any leave, I figured you'd want a little time off."
The technician scratched his beard, "Doesn't bother me being back here Captain, but I guess I'm always up for a change in scenery. I'll come ground side with you and Mr. Graves." He grabbed a wide-brimmed hat, "Ready when you are ma'am." The two slid down the ladder into the cargo compartment, Tyson was busy strapping something to the wall when they arrived. "What's up?" Aria looked puzzled, motioning to the duffel bag that Graves was messing with. "Not a lot, just getting a backup plan in place, you never know when things are gonna go haywire."
The Captain jumped to the concrete surface, "We shouldn't be here long", she greeted the dock worker, "Just top off her lift gas if necessary, my pilot is sticking around if you need her." The two men dropped down beside her, squinting at the bright sun above them. "Where are we going, Captain?" Dirk raised his eyebrow, "We didn't just stop off for maintenence did we?" She nodded her head, "We're going to the commissioner's office to request backup on our current operation, that gang is too well organized for a pair of Dragoons to go in alone, we need more men."
Dirk Lyons mulled over the idea as they boarded the bullet train towards the Capitol. "You really think the government will send out another contract to help us take them down? Money is in short supply nowadays, it's why they created the Dragoon corps in the first place." Fletcher nodded, after the collapse occurred every nation needed as much money as they could get, the United States was heavily in debt to the world economy, forcing them to default on most of it. The Dragoon corps was an invention born of necessity, a standing army was too much to fund and maintain. The governing authorities decided it would be a better idea to hire out mercenary contractors only when it was necessary, to take care of the little things. Most Dragoons were ex-military, though it wasn't a requirement of the job.
"I know it's unlikely", Aria began, "but we have no other options, and if we can present the criminal group as it really is, they'll have no choice but to send more troops." The two agreed, staring at the forest blurring past them. At last they came to a clearing, the Capitol was nestled within it, surrounded by trees of every kind. The train came to a smooth halt, it's magnets locking the silver locomotive in place. A bright gold ray of sun glinted off the glass, blinding the three travelers. They got off the train with haste, not wishing their friend any more time amidst his captors. "The Commissioners plaza is this direction", Fletcher pointed to the left of them, through a small cluster of maple trees.
The Capitol was largely untouched by the outside world, it was almost as if the collapse had never happened. The whole area felt like a small portal back in time, a place where you could forget all that took place in the last decade. The world itself remained largely intact despite some groups best efforts to rip it asunder. A few already weakened countries fell, but the powers that existed beforehand remained. The Dragoons were largely responsible for defending the borders of America from outside attack, what little actually came that is. Without fossil fuels, most countries that wished the U.S. dead were unable to do so.
Captain Fletcher pressed hard against the steel-clad door, it's weight fighting her every inch of the way. The three stepped onto the buildings marble lined floor, "This place is far more decorated than I would have expected", Dirk chimed in. The older man gazed with wonder at every wall, "I always thought the Dragoons were just a bunch of militarized bounty hunters."
Aria chuckled, "Most do, even before the Dragoons became mainstream, people disliked mercenaries. To be fair, someone without a strict moral code usually ended up causing more harm than good anyways, the distrust is understandable." She motioned to a banner hung along the wall, "We have to swear an oath just like the military once did, to ensure we don't dissolve into a rogue army. Plenty are turned away during the application process, their intent is to cause more harm than good."
They walked into a large room where hundreds of Dragoons were milling about. Some were seated at booths, speaking with contract dispatchers. Aria marched straight up to a woman seated near her, "I need to place a reinforcement requisition." The uniformed woman glanced up at her, then hammered out a few commands on her computer. "Name, please?" The Captain continued the game of 20 questions, answering through gritted teeth as she became impatient. The dispatcher was indifferent, she continued her rapid fire typing with the skill of one who works at a desk all day.
Finally Aria snapped, "Can you get us reinforcements or not? These criminals are VERY well organized, their operations are deep-set in the upper layers of airborne infrastructure and they've got plenty of men at their disposal. You have to send more Dragoons, who knows what they could be planning next." The woman stopped typing, "I'll look into it, your request will be processed within a few days." Fletcher dug her fingers into the desk, "We don't have a few days, people could die within a few days, don't you have a way to bypass the process or place the order within priority?"
"I'm sorry, I cannot help you further until the order has been taken into evaluation by our higher-ups. Please check back within a few days." Without another word, Aria pivoted on her heel and marched out of the building faster than she had come in, her two escorts trailing behind. With explosive force she swung the front doors wide open, "Screw them, we'll find backup ourselves." Although the chances of finding another Captain willing to chance his life and ship on uncertain payment would be near-impossible, neither of the two wanted to tell Fletcher.
When they arrived at the shipyards, Evelyn was arguing with one of the dock workers, apparently he hadn't figured out how to fill lift gas in a Gungnir class gunship. The pilot was thoroughly annoyed when Aria arrived, she turned to her Captain and started to go off on a tangent before Fletcher put up a hand to silence her. "Is the Balance ready to go?" She asked, impatiently. "Yeah, she's all topped off", the dock hand motioned to the solar panels, "your energy reserves weren't full from solar power, I gave you a full charge too." Aria nodded, "Thanks, alright everybody! Back up into the ship, we've got a lot of work to do." Before Fletcher could climb onto the loading platform a man called out for her.
He stood in the distance, leaning against the helium tanks. Fletcher hadn't seen the guy before, he wore a long peacoat and a fedora. "Oh you've got to be kidding me with the hat", she rolled her eyes, "What do you want?" He casually strolled towards her, "I overheard your predicament, your pilot isn't so quiet." Aria was starting to feel threatened, "Yeah? What're you gonna do about it?" She rested her hand on the hammer of her revolver, hoping to not have the need for it. "Well you see I lost a shipment awhile back, I think it was to the same gang you lost your man to. Listen I'm not here so that I can give you any trouble, I think we can help eachother out."
Captain Fletcher squinted at him, "Why should I trust a merchant? How have you got anything that could help me? It sounds like you just want my help getting your shipment back." He laughed, "No, I wouldn't simply expect you to get my packages without any help. I have men who can fight, and quite a large craft", he motioned to a ship in the dock beside him. The vessel was monstrous, a cruiser refit most likely. The metallic skin had letters emblazoned on it with dark crimson paint, it was "The Red Baron."
"Bit of a clunker ain't it?" Aria teased, the ship was in fine condition, she just wanted to see how he would react. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, "If you say so, do we have a deal?" Fletcher grasped his hand firmly, "Your name?" He removed his fedora and bowed, "Captain Gregory Walters of the Baron, ma'am."
Jake gazed at the two leaders and wished he could have better hearing. "What're you waiting for?" Evelyn kneeled over the hatch, "What's got you all worked up?" She looked genuinely concerned, which was a rare sight. "I just... I don't know", Jake glared at the man intently, "I don't have good experiences with guys like that." Barrett cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean, guys like that? What's so wrong about him?" For a moment the navigator almost made a sarcastic remark, before realizing his unique upbringing as a nomad. "All the show", he began, "The hat, the coat, the way he speaks. It's a show, he's not the high-roller that he looks like." A smile crept into the corner of Evelyn's mouth, "I don't know, I think he's kind of charming." Jake Floyd couldn't take that kind of comparison, he trailed after his friend explaining why she was fooled by his appearance.
"Alright then, it's all settled", Aria nodded, "We find your product, get my man out, and eliminate the outlaws the way we should have earlier." Walters smiled, "Sounds good to me! I'll follow your gunship to where they're hiding, you'll be harder to detect anyways." Fletcher turned on her heel, "Just try to get that whale of a ship in the air, we'll be just fine." Gregory laughed and walked back to his first mate, "Well? Took your sweet time didn't you?" The man looked baffled. "Never mind", Walters patted him on the shoulder, "We've got the guns to get our shipment back, now let's see what their little ship can do."
Aria jumped up the ladder's last rung and into the cockpit, "Take us up helmsman Barrett, gain some altitude and set a course for the criminal hideout. If at all possible, gain some intelligence on them before we get there, eh?" She opened the door to engineering, "Dirk! How's she flying?" The older man stared intently at the monitor, watching the craft's systems on his control board. "Electric engines are working normally, our power plant is online and available for reserve power, and the converters are transferring solar energy from storage." Aria glanced around the spotless room, "How about our lift tanks? They're holding well aren't they?" He nodded, "The system checks out, we're not seeing leaks faster than anticipated."
She asked a few more questions before Dirk cut her off, "Aria, don't worry about the systems. I'll tell you if anything is wrong, right now you need to be thinking about a plan to get Augustus back." She stared at the floor, "I know, I guess I was just distracting myself, I'll leave you to your work." She moved swiftly back into the main hallway and up into her observation compartment, there would be no sleeping this time around.
She accessed the nearest high altitude balloon to Augustus' tracker and gained control of an onboard camera. The telltale shape of a large transport dirigible hung attached to a system of supports and buildings, not a floating city but something much older. "No way", she exclaimed, "One of those is still functional?" The platform in the distance was an old solar relay station, in the early days before the Dyson sphere they were used to transmit solar energy to the surface. When the orbiting solar panels went up, the stations were all scrapped for parts.
"They're too devious for their own good", Aria chewed her lip in thought. Rolling over, she called out into the corridor below, "Hey Jake! Can you do a search for all first generation solar platforms? I want to know everything I can about their design, schematics, weaknesses, everything." He appeared at the bottom of the ladder, "Did you say a first generation platform? Werent those all canned back when the Dyson Sphere went up?"
Aria enhanced the image she took from the balloon, "There, I can see their transport docked on the outer stanchion; I guess they hid it from the construction crews." Jake contorted his face in thought, "So that means these criminals have been based here a long time, that place is probably a fortress by now." Fletcher tapped her lip, "Even more reason to find another way in, get on it Jake, and keep me posted." He turned back to the cockpit, "Yes ma'am, oh and there is something I need to tell you." She blinked in confusion, "Yeah? What's up?"
"Something isn't right about that Captain Walters, I can't place it, but you should watch out when you're around him." Aria sat silently in thought, "Thanks, Jake, I'll remember that." Floyd didn't get serious with his Captain often, but he obviously cared for her safety. Jake grew up traveling the world, he learned social cues and behavioral patterns at a young age. If he had a problem with Walters, it was well founded.
After studying the solar station for a half an hour or so she made her way down to the cargo compartment. Tyson was busy packing up another box, "What's in that?" She quizzed him, Graves opened the container and smiled. Aria nodded approvingly, "Might come in handy, depending on what we have to do." He strapped it into the cargo net above, "It'll be here waiting for us, if necessary I'll have Jake drop it off."
Evelyn activated the intercom, "Captain, we're about three miles out from where Augustus signal originates, the hostile airships are docked and unaware. I'm going to bring us underneath the superstructure, have Walters follow us in." Tyson and Fletcher clambered into the emergency tunnel that rested above the minuscule sleeping quarters. Aria grasped the handle firmly, awaiting the order from her navigator that it was all clear. Time passed excruciatingly slow as they stood motionless on the ladder, finally the word came thorough Aria's earpiece that they were all clear but to watch the wind outside. Fletcher pulled the release lever and strained as the sudden rush of air attempted to tear it from her hands . The oxygen levels weren't too much lower at their current altitude, breathing wasn't going to be a problem.
She gripped a ring on the aircraft's skin and helped Tyson out, then slammed the hatch shut. Talking was of no use with all the sound ordinance around, Aria moved from one handhold to the next as the world seemed to tear apart around her. The very bottom of the solar station was almost in reach, Fletcher stretched but couldn't quite close the gap between the two aircraft. Tyson tapped her on the shoulder and pointed upwards, she shrugged in confusion, his words were inaudible through the engine's roar. Without warning Tyson placed Aria's hands on his shoulders and grabbed her waist, he lifted her clear over his head.
The Captain was shocked by the act, but couldn't care in the moment because it achieved the goal at hand. She gripped the bottom edge of the station and began pulling herself along it, like a kid on a jungle gym. Tyson launched himself upwards with explosive force, bringing his massive upper body into contact with the solar platform. The two began their long climb into the abandoned station.
Aria spotted an air duct about ten feet above her head, "It's about time" she whispered to herself. Fletcher was no stranger to pull-ups, but a climb of this duration was making her arms quickly sore. With one final push she gripped the edge of the square duct and struggled to bring herself inside. Once comfortable that she wasn't going to fall out Fletcher peered over the edge to see Tyson clamber up beside her, he grimaced while sliding inside the small metal chamber. "Remember to get me on a strict bodyweight workout program when this is through", he gasped, "Big muscles only look good, I'd rather have strength over size."
Below the duct, the four men of Walters ship climbed quickly towards them. The Captain himself was leading the assault team, a rifle slung over his shoulder. Aria and Tyson helped the men into their temporary hideout, it was much quieter once they were all a few feet inside. "Alright", Aria began, "This will work better if we try to keep quiet for as long as possible. In there we're outnumbered heavily, combat is an option but I'm not eager to engage these guys on their own turf." Walters nodded, "It's probably a fortress in there, finding what we came here for is top priority. Once we have everything we need taking these guys out shouldn't be too hard, we could annihilate them from the air if we wanted to."
Aria agreed, "We find my missing crew member, and your cargo, then extract as fast as we are able to. I suggest we stick to our pre-assigned teams despite their assymetric size, it may provide us with a tactical advantage inside these walls." Gregory motioned his men forward into the breach, taking point. Tyson unlatched the MP5K that was strapped to his chest, "I sure hope they can make do with their long rifles in this place." Fletcher gazed at the men with suspicion, "Seems a little weird to be bringing those in such cramped quarters, cover me for a second." She contacted Evelyn, "Balance of power this is Away team, make sure you're keeping an eye out on all communications." The call came back quickly, "All comms? Including the Baron?" Fletcher nodded in emphasis, "That's correct, and get Jake in the gunner's seat just in case something goes awry in here." Evelyn responded back, confirming her last order. "Let's go", Fletcher waved her comrade forward.
They found the four men from the Baron positioned near a floor grate, silently listening for movement above them. "It's just a boiler room", Fletcher commented, "No one's up there, let's go." She pushed the metal cover gently upwards, and slid it aside. Tyson went up first, covering his Captain as she climbed through. He moved to the doorway and ensured that no one would barge in on them before they were ready. Aria took point as they slowly entered the corridor, the signs posted above them were intended to direct those who could decipher the code. No one could figure out what the mix of letters and numbers meant.
Fletcher pulled out her wrist mounted computer and did a quick search, "The exterior compartments house non-critical sections, that's designated by the numbers here." She pointed to the double digit number on the wall, "Makes sense, we're in the outer sections. The letter appears to be how many decks from the top we are."
"That's great", Walters interrupted, "Where would they keep prisoners? Knowing how the place is laid out won't help us if we don't have a destination." The Captain couldn't find any schematics in her search. Fresh out of ideas, she called the Balance's engine room. Dirk picked up quickly, "Yes ma'am? What do you need?" "Dirk! Didn't you help set up the solar grid back in the early days after the collapse?" She nervously tapped the wall beside her, Tyson had her covered but that wouldn't help if they got caught. "Yeah I was part of the design team, engineers mostly, they had me on for logistical work", he went silent for a second, "Why?"
"Because", Aria glanced around the hallway, "I need an idea of where someone would keep a prisoner or any other extraneous cargo." A silence grew between the two, Fletcher began to think their connection was severed. "Interior compartments, lower decks. That's where we kept all of our equipment during construction, he'll most likely be there." Aria thanked him and signed off, then turned to the others. "So we're on the right track, we just have to go into the heart of the station a little further", she drew her revolver, "Let's get this thing done."
The group moved silently and quickly into the belly of the beast, ready for whatever came at them. The first signs of life were that of a drunken guard, stumbling down the corridor in a stupor. "I'll handle this", Tyson whispered as he crouched down into the darkness. As the man stumbled into reach, a strong hand gripped his throat and slammed his head into the wall. The body slid down the bulkhead into a heap, "No one will believe he was suffering anything but a case of clumsiness, the hangover won't be a pretty sight either."
Walters stepped on past, "Let's hope they're all about as prepared as this guy, might make our job a bit easier." The group moved inwards, finding little resistance to speak of. "This isn't creepy at all", one of the guards in the Baron group croaked. "Just keep your guard up", Aria came to an intersection and stopped dead in her tracks. "What is it?" Gregory asked fervently. "Be quiet", Fletcher strained, "Outlaws up ahead, putting away some boxes it looks like."
The Captain's eyes lit up like wildfire, "How big were the boxes? What color and shape?" Aria raised an eyebrow, "White, with red stripes in the center. That sound like your stuff?" Gregory peered around the corner, "Looks like, shall we go reclaim it?" Fletcher pulled him close, "We find my man first, then we worry about your shipment. By the looks of its size we'll need him to help carry it." Gregory pushed himself away, "Fine, we'll do it your way. Just don't think about abandoning us once you find him."
The guards finished stowing the cargo quickly, Aria could overhear their conversation. "What do you think is in those boxes anyways?" His cohort answered apathetically, "Who cares? Boss says it'll fetch some money, besides, we have more work to do. You go and feed our prisoner, make sure you don't give him too much." The younger man grunted, "Alright, he creeps me out though. I've never had a prisoner stay so silent, it's like he's probing me for weaknesses." The superior chuckled, "Did you see the tattoos he has? The guy's ex-military, he's trained to handle interrogation and captivity. Just give him his bread and water, then be on your merry way."
Aria smiled, "Augustus is somewhere close, that kid in the grey is gonna go feed him. We'll follow and take him out once we find Kimmel." Tyson gripped his gun, "It's about time." The six man squad moved into an adjacent hallway, looking for a route to slip by the remaining crooks. They traced the rookie in grey through a maze of corridors, "It's a good thing we figured out where he was going", Graves whispered, "Or we'd be so freaking screwed, this place is a labyrinth."
The kid they were following couldn't be more than 20, barely old enough to make his own decisions. He stopped at a large hatch and fumbled around for his key. When the arduous process of unlatching the door was complete he slid the monolith aside and entered the chamber. The six intruders slipped quietly behind him into the temporary jail cell and waited as Aria finished the job. She tapped him on the right shoulder, then when he had turned his head she threw a punch straight into the side of it.
The boy spun around from pure force before slamming into the ground heavily. "At this rate we won't even need bullets", Fletcher joked. She rummaged around in his jacket pocket, revealing the small jailers key that would release her crewmen. A strained voice came from a darkened corner of the room, "It's sure good to see you again, Captain."
Aria threw the door aside, "Ready to get out of here?" She extended a hand towards the man, he grasped it and stood to his feet. Augustus wasn't a tall man, he stood at average height and a swimmer's build from years in Navy SpecWar. "They took my shirt", Aug replied, "I don't think this kid will mind if I commandeer his." After he was properly dressed for the conditions outside he broke into the locker next to him, "Good thing they kept my gun, or I'd really have a grudge against these criminals." He smiled nefariously.
Tyson turned to find Walters and his men missing, "Hey guys, we have a problem here." Aria's eyes grew wide, "That idiot! He'll get us all caught!" She glanced out the door, no sign of them nearby. "Come on, we have to regroup before those stupid merchants screw us all over." The three reunited soldiers ran silently where they had come from, hoping to retrace their steps accurately. Fletcher stopped them at an intersection, Gregory and his men were being held up by the guards from before. "So much for getting out quietly", she pulled the hammer back on her handgun.
The first shot went through the suprvisor's chest, dropping him before any of the others could react. A tight burst from Tyson followed by Augustus' put the rest in their place. Walters had just begun to thank them when Aria punched him square in the jaw, he recoiled from the hit. Fletcher grabbed the Captain's wrist and slammed him into the wall, "What the hell were you thinking?! Were you trying to blow this entire operation?" Tyson and Augustus brought their weapons to bear on his men, suppressing any interference.
"Next time I'll let them shred you and your team while I watch! Now get your cargo and let's get out of here before more arrive!" The footsteps above them were all the warning needed, the hive had been stirred. Gregory and his men began stuffing the boxes into duffel bags, he looked up as the three Dragoons took cover along the corridor. "What're you doing? Aren't you going to help us?" He stammered. "You're the merchants are you not?" She replied, "You do your job, we'll do ours."
The four men had barely gotten the boxes packed when the first wave arrived. Bullets peppered the walls as they scattered for cover. Augustus fired off a triplet of rounds before being suppressed by the sheer number of hostiles. Tyson backed him up by throwing some lead in their direction, "Good thing we didn't need those guys before! They're about as useful in a firefight as rocks!" Aria agreed, "Let them run, we're better off without the baggage. We have the advantage in here anyways."
The Balance of Power came through Aria's earpiece, "Captain! You know the Zeppelin that was docked when we arrived? It's throwing off all mooring lines and preparing for takeoff!" Aria swung around the corner and fired off two rounds, "Take her down! Tell Jake to target the lift ballasts and put some 30mm into their hull!" The whole place shook as the Balance of Power showed its teeth.
Evelyn came over the radio again, "Captain! I sure hope you have Augustus located by now, the Baron is altering trajectory towards the stations helium balloons! There's only one reason for doing that." Fletcher grimaced, "Yeah I know, they're gonna bring the whole place down. I think you better tell Jake to get into the cargo hold and prepare plan B." A moment of silence passed between the two, "It's done, he's heading down there now ma'am."
Aria tapped Tyson on his shoulder, "We're getting out of here ASAP, it's time for your backup plan!" He grinned, "I always wanted to try this! Hey Augustus, you ready to get out of here?"
He switched magazines, "Am I ever! Let's go!" Just then, the whole station started to tilt towards one side. "Crap, I think they just cut one of the lift balloons, we're running out of time!" The three simultaneously fired while moving backwards, hoping to find an exit before the whole place went into free fall. The floor was now at a 45 degree angle, causing just as many problems for their pursuers as it did for them. Aria turned in time to make contact with a wall, she slid passed it and into the next adjacent corridor. She emptied the rounds in her cylinder and sent the shells careening down a darkened hallway.
Augustus leapt from his foothold and slid down the deck as it turned into a ramp. Tyson poured bullets into the abyss above him, hoping to slow down the outlaws. The three of them continued their woven pattern of covering and moving until it brought them to the boiler room they had entered from.
"We going out the same way we came in?" Tyson asked as he pulled himself into the doorway. "Yeah, through the vents again!" Aria yelled amidst the gunfire. Augustus' eyes grew wide, "You're not serious are you? At this angle the station is gonna throw us straight out into the sky!" The sounds of angry criminals grew louder with every passing second.
"There's no time to argue!" Aria jumped through the bulkhead and fired off what rounds she had left. Kimmel holstered his pistol, "Right outta the friggin' frying pan I'll tell ya." He pushed off the slanted deck and into the room beyond, landing next to the air vent. "Hang on, I have to make sure we don't plummet to our deaths when we get into the open sky." Aria motioned for Graves to cover her as she called the Balance. "Evelyn! The situation's gone from bad to worse! I need plan B to hit freefall in ten seconds! I sure hope you're somewhere near the station's North side."
"Give me a moment to reposition", Evelyn barked out, "I need you to wait a moment so I can get the cargo bay in place." Tyson cringed as metallic shards sprayed all over the room, "Too late! They're here, let's go!" He pushed Augustus down the vent's opening and followed behind him. Fletcher turned to see one of the gunmen enter the boiler room, she brought her knee to her chest and lashed out, sending the man into a crumpled heap. "Evelyn, tell Jake to drop those airfoils now or we're all dead." She slid into the tunnel just as more of the outlaws rounded the corner.
Aria couldn't tell what was worse, the howling wind or the feeling of falling endlessly into the blue sky. Above her the Balance shrunk at an absurd rate, did they drop the airfoils? She glanced downwards at her two crew members, they were trying to slow down as fast as possible. The three Dragoons extended their appendages in an attempt to create drag, Aria caught up to the other two and grasped their arms. The plummeting trio faught to stay in contact with eachother through the gusts of wind.
The Captain's head snapped back as she craned her neck skyward, something was growing in the endless expanse of blue above them. It could be one thing only, the airfoils were dropped right where they were supposed to be. Jake's timing was a little off but Aria decided she wouldn't hold it against him, were they to survive that is.
Fletcher shook the two men and motioned upwards, if they didn't time this right the airfoils could end up careening past them. They tracked the black backpacks as the devices fell, within a few moments they'd have to pull off some rather insane maneuvers. Aria broke off from the others and attempted to position herself underneath the airfoil that was closest to her, she pulled her arms in to decrease the rate at which the flight apparatus was approaching.
The straps were almost within arms reach, the Captain snatched the black backpack out of thin air and struggled to get its buckles secured. She hoped that her two shipmates had equal amounts of success at grasping their airfoils. Her earpiece buzzed with noise as the Balance attempted to make radio contact, the wind kept anything coherent from coming through. Once Aria had the pack secured she pulled the ripcord and hoped to see Kimmel and Graves get their situation together. The ground was visible now as they passed the bottom rung of clouds, her airfoil extended and inflated in the high wind.
Part wingsuit, part parasail, the airfoil's glider section inflated quickly from the descent. The camoflouge wings transferred Aria's momentum into controlled flight, and for a moment everything was peaceful. Once more her earpiece crackled, "Captain, the station is about to break loose! Keep your eyes up if you don't want to be crushed!" She couldn't really look to the sky from her current position, but the telltale whistle of an incoming object was forewarning enough.
Aria grasped the control handles and banked hard, hoping to get out of the way before the station made a hole in the earth. "Evelyn! This is Fletcher, did Tyson and Aug get their airfoils?" A deep voice came on the line, "We're behind you, about 200 feet lower at your 4 o'clock", Augustus gasped, "Holy crap, Jake you seeing this?" The navigator was busy staring at his radar screen, "Yeah, it just sailed past us. Captain you should continue your present course to avoid collision." Aria felt the wind push her as the spheroid careened into the ground hundreds of feet below.
A shockwave tore through the air as the station flattened itself among the grasslands. Fletcher circled the wreckage, avoiding the thick plume of dust that filled her vision. She glanced up to see her companions soaring across the sky above, their glider's blue dazzle camoflouge making them hard to distinguish. Aria circled the crash site a few more times as the thick wall of debris cleared out.
By the time her airfoil's parachute deployed, the Balance of power was already descending a few hundred feet away.
Aria unstrapped the backpack and smiled as her teammates dropped in beside her, "That was crazy!" She yelled over the tall grass that waved about her boots. "You're telling me!" Augustus shouted back, "Coulda swore that thing was gonna take your head off!" They laughed as the lighter than air gunship swooped in next to them. Jake was on the loading platform, "Good to see you three in one piece, especially you XO."
Kimmel nodded, "Thanks for coming back to get me, it was a nice surprise to see friendly faces. Especially after I found out where they were going, I didn't think you'd even be able to find me."
Jake hopped off of the ship, "No thanks to Evelyn and I, we had you pegged all the way there. Now, would you all like to repack your airfoil's and get the hell out of this forsaken wasteland?" Tyson spread his arms, "What? You don't like Farmland?"
Once they were all safely aboard, Aria wasted no time getting to the cockpit. "The Baron, I presume it escaped?" Evelyn nodded, "We couldn't risk taking them down with the three of you in free fall, so we decided to let them go." Jake laughed as he climbed into his station, "Probably didn't get far with that thing as big as it is, want to chase them Captain?" Fletcher stepped backwards into the main corridor, "Let them sweat it out, they probably think I'm dead, we'll find them soon enough. Evelyn, take us to the Capitol, we've got a payday waiting."
The whole ship resounded with cheers as they settled their minds on the simple monotony of traveling in an airship, another day sailing the blue skies of the world.
* * *
EPILOGUE
The leather clad figure moved through the crowded alleyway, it's face shrouded in shadow by the hood it wore. The clank of boots on metal grate softened as the duo stopped at a doorway adjacent to them. "Officers only" a voice boomed from the door's opposite side. The figure opened its pocketbook to show the license it held on a vessel. The aluminum alloy scraped aside as the man behind it made himself known, "You're not from around here, people in these parts don't really appreciate individuals such as yourself."
The figure lowered its hood, "Because I'm a Dragoon? Or because I'm a woman?" The bouncer chuckled, "Take your pick." She rested a hand on her waist, showing the sidearm she carried, "I think I'll take my chances", she walked inside with her first mate close behind. "Not so sure about this", the blonde haired soldier whispered, "Our escape may become blocked if we start something in here." Aria shushed him, "We're not going to be the ones starting anything Kimmel, if something goes down it'll have to be someone else inciting it." Augustus pinched his nose, "You said that last time, what was it? Three? Yeah... Three dead the last time 'you wouldn't start anything'."
"Hey", she stopped and put up a hand, "You saw the way that guy moved, he was obviously going for a weapon." Aug rolled his eyes, "He was reaching for his beer, Captain." She shrugged, "Yeah, well maybe he shouldn't have done it so quickly." The two continued on through the entryway and into the bar, it was poorly lit and noisy from the ventilation fans. "You see him?" Kimmel asked, he didn't know the elusive Captain Walters by face.
Fletcher scanned the room, the colorful Captain of the Baron was perched by a window, no doubt charming a couple of prospective clients. "There", she motioned ever so slightly towards their prey, "That's the man that tried to kill the three of us a week ago." Augustus stifled a laugh, "Him? The guy wearing the goofy red coat? I'm shocked he had the guts to even try and kill us, goodness with a ship like "the Red Baron" I assumed this guy would be impressive. He was leading their team on the station, right?" Aria caught her first mate's eye, "Want to take the lead on this one? Since he hasn't seen you since you were a prisoner? I'll come in after you've introduced yourself and we'll scare the crap outta him." "I like that plan, it's a good one", Kimmel pondered out loud, "Put your hood on and follow my lead."
Augustus walked up to the four men and awaited patiently for them to notice his arrival. Once their curent topic of discussion was expiring, Captain Walters casually glanced over towards the newcomer. "Can I help you?" He asked, sipping whatever dark liquid his glass contained.
Kimmel smiled cheerfully, "Actually yes, I believe you have something my partner and I find valuable. If possible I'd like to discuss a little transaction."
The Baron's Captain nodded, "Your partner? Who is he?" Walters scanned the leather jacket, he'd seen it somewhere before. "He... Doesn't talk much, don't worry about him though. He's mostly here to make sure things don't go down the wrong way." Kimmel assured the flamboyantly colored Captain.
"Would you like to sit down?" Walters motioned two of the four away, "I beg your pardon sir, these men had no interest with services of mine." Augustus sat down while Aria remained upright, careful not to show her face straight at their adversary. "What kind of services did you have in mind?" Walters eyed The cloaked figure with increasing suspicion, that slender form, it reminded him of someone in recent times.
Augustus brought up his communication link, "A certain few items you possess, my crew ran across them not too long ago on a sort of expedition. We think they would fetch a good sum to a couple wealthy corporations, I'd like to think we can both come out of this deal on the positive side." Walters cracked a half smile, "You've said a lot mister... Kimmel? Was it? I'm still not quite sure what you and your partner are talking about."
It occurred to the first mate that he hadn't given Captain Gregory his name, it was time to show him a thing or two about surprises. Aug tapped a few controls on his wrist mounted computer, "Hold on a moment, I'll contact my specialist, he'll know precisely how to explain our little situation."
Tyson's voice came though the speaker, "Yes, Captain? Got something for me?" Kimmel smiled as Graves played his part to perfection, "Yes, I would like to know a little more about the packages we discussed earlier. What exactly is it that we're looking for?"
"Oh! You mean those little white boxes with the red stripe, I'm looking at a dozen or so of them right now. What would you like to know?" Gregory Walter's eyes grew larger, "What in the hell do you think you're doing Captain?! You trying to start an incident here?"
Aria chose this moment to slide her hood off and take the seat next to her first mate, the startled man began to reach for something. "I wouldn't if I were you", Fletcher winked at him as she cocked her unholstered revolver underneath the table. "You..." Walters struggled to find words, "You were dead Captain, I sent that station down myself and made sure of it." The woman seated across from him laughed and pulled a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear, "It's a good thing you're paid to sell things then, cause you can't seem to do anything else correctly."
Walters began to sputter but was cut off by Kimmel, "Graves, what's in those boxes?" The Baron's Captain went red in fury, "You can't open those containers! That's illegal! I'll have you all arrested!" His angered cries were ignored as Graves reported back, "Holy crap, Captain, they're... I can't even believe this." Aria encouraged him to speak, "Spit it out, what's in the boxes Tyson?"
His voice grew cold, "Organs ma'am, each container is a refrigeration unit for medical transplants."
Fletcher drew her eyes on Gregory, "You pathetic worm, organ trafficking? What else do you have your grimy hands in, huh?" She pulled her Taurus from underneath the table and rested it in plain sight, gasps started coming in from around the room. "Graves, get pictures and documents, bring one of the containers for evidence as well. Then report back to the ship." Augustus couldn't help but smile as the Baron's Captain sat helpless to aid his men, the look was genuinely priceless.
"Don't worry about your ship", Aria consoled the man, "We won't touch her, or your cargo for that matter. Consider yourself warned though, we will be back for you sooner or later." The two Dragoons stood up, keeping their weapons drawn as they exited the bar. "Balance, copy, once you've successfully extracted Graves swing back to dock 13 and pick us up. I want to get back to the commissioner's office as soon as we can."
Augustus glanced at his wrist, "20 more meters and our jammer will be out of range." Fletcher looked disinterested, "That'll be plenty of time for Evelyn to get Tyson out before Walters can give the alarm."
Kimmel smiled, "Life and death situations aside, did you see the look on that guy's face?" He bellowed with laughter, "My goodness I've never seen such a look of helplessness on anyone's face, that was a beautiful moment." Aria laughed, "Wasn't it though? I don't think he expected to see me again, or to have his ship ransacked by a single man." Aug shrugged, "Guess that's what you get for being an idiot, right?"
The two pressed onwards to the docks, the Balance of Power sweeping in above with Tyson onboard the loading platform. "You give Walters a nice surprise?" He yelled over the whine of the engines. Kimmel hopped onboard and clapped him on the back, "We were a nice surprise, but you? Oh! You should have seen his face when we called you." The two gripped Aria's extended arms and pulled her aboard, the wind trying its best to blow them away. "I think I've had enough adventure for one month", Fletcher glanced out at the floating cityscape below, "Next job we get's gonna be something simple, government transport or maybe a bodyguard thing."
The two men exchanged looks, Kimmel spoke first, "With all do respect ma'am, you'd find a way to make it adventurous and exciting, you always do." She narrowed her eyes, "You don't think I can handle a simple cargo run without shooting someone or blowing up another airship, do you?"
Graves coughed, "Well It's hard to tell Captain, it hasn't really happened yet." She looked back at the city one last time as the platform ascended into the vessel, "Maybe you're right, I tend to attract those kinds of situations." Kimmel smiled, "Just be glad you also attract people who can handle those situations." Aria looked back as she climbed the cockpit ladder, "On that, I think we can all agree."