Prologue | 0
"I'll be back." Strapped into his aircraft, he flew out into space towards a trio of spaceships.
"Go on without me. This will be the last time." He turned his ship around, leaving the others.
The first made eye contact with the second. The other pilot nodded at him, flexing his fingers over the joysticks in his aircraft.
He made a sharp turn. He aimed towards a planet off in the distance.
The other followed him closely.
Entering the planet's atmosphere, the lead pilot dipped into a layer of storm clouds and wove about, trying to lose the other.
But the follower matched the first step-for-step.
Descending below the clouds, they flew over an expansive forest. Rain lashed at their windshields as lightning danced around them, and thunder rattled the pilots' ships.
A bolt of lightning struck the pursuer's ship. It wobbled dangerously in the air, and as he fought to keep it steady, several warning lights flashed at him. "Damn it all!"
The pursuer began to drag behind. When there was plenty of space between them, the first pilot began to rise once more, running to safety.
But what will that accomplish? his conscience raged at him.
The second pilot attempted to speed up, but his ship would not. He let go of the joysticks and slammed his fists down on the arms of his seat.
Slowing down, the first looked behind him. His persecutor was a ways behind. He turned his ship around and flew straight at the other pilot.
Surprised, the pursuer grabbed the joysticks again.
This will end now. Both pilot's thoughts were equal.
The two ships were on a collision course, the pilots firm in their intentions.
The distance grew shorter very rapidly. Warning lights flashed at each pilot as their distance counters ticked off the numbers: 200; 175; 150; 125; 100; 50 – 25 – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1—
The sound of the tempest above seemed to hold its breath for a moment; the raindrops slowed down to observe, the lightning missed a step in its wild dance, the wind held back. But the noise returned once more, the storm even fiercer than before.