Chapter 2:

The pale green light of Tim's screen and the dull orange glow of Monty's cuff links was all that illuminated the old sewer tunnel. The sound of the two running was all that echoed through the darkened air. The metal feet of the Engi, and the rubber soled shoes of the Human.

"We shouldn't be too far from the ship now…" Panted Monty as he ran, glancing to a faded number painted on the wall.

"Affirmative." Tim turned his head to look back down the tunnel; the sound of heavy boots could be heard as they charged across the concrete. "Caution. We are being pursued."

Monty turned his head as well, "Damn… alright we need to hurry." Keeping his gun in hand he started sprinting; Tim close behind, his body morphed into a thinner, almost skeletal, frame. A bend in the tunnel closed in from up ahead, causing Monty to let of a relieved chuckle, "The ship is just around the bend, keep goi…" A crackling bolt of energy cut him off as it snarled though the air and left a glowing spot on the concrete where it finally impacted.

"Halt!" A soldier clad in orange armour barked at the two, a pistol held in hand and steam rising from the vents.

"Tim, get the ship started!" Monty waved Tim down the tunnel as he wheeled around, the air crackled with energy as he fired twice in response.

Sprinting down the tunnel, Tim came to a halt in front of a large object covered with an equally large tarp. Bright red flashes flared up in the darkness back down the tunnel, the roaring of the air accompanied each caustic burst. Tugging away the tarp, Tim stood before the industrial shuttle, it's cuboid shapes contrasting with the sleek form of the Engi.

"TIM?! Where are you?" Monty called out as he dropped behind a discarded crate, bolts of energy tearing through the air above him. With a click the empty energy cartridge popped out of his gun, the cylinder clattered to the floor, steam rising from its glowing surface. Reaching into his pocket Monty fished around for a new cartridge, however before he had a chance to reload the tunnel was filled with the roaring of engines. Monty threw his arm across his eyes as the storm of dust and dirt washed over him as the ship drifted down the tunnel; it's engines causing the air to ripple with heat.

"Back! BACK!" Shouts from the soldiers could be heard. Monty could feel his hairs stand on end as the air crackled with energy, the loud thudding and oppressive heat was next, shortly followed by the yells of the soldiers as the less-than-legal weaponry unleashed several rounds of fire. The pungent odour of charred flesh rose from the glowing mound of molten slag left at the epicentre of the attack.

Quickly the dust settled as the ship landed. "Designation Ally, are you undamaged?" Tim called out to Monty from the cockpit door.

"Just call me Monty; and I'm fine… thanks." Standing and brushing the dust from his clothes, Monty clambered inside and deposited himself at the controls.

Tim nodded, "Affirmative. Monty." Sitting awkwardly in the co-pilots chair he turned to Monty. "Your briefing on the current situation is incomplete. I shall continue now."

Monty held up his hand to stop the Engi. "Not now, we still need to get out of here… and chances are there is a patrol ship waiting for us on the surface…" Flicking various switches and prodding various buttons Monty ignited the engines of the ship once more; the door locked with a loud click as the engines roared and pushed the vehicle into the air. "Buckle up, chances are I am going to be doing some… unconventional manoeuvres." As Tim pulled the straps around his body and clamped them in place, Monty grabbed and pushed two levers forward; the nacelles of the craft swivelled and locked in a forward position and almost detonated with a yell of fire and heat, shunting the ship onwards down the tunnel.

Dust and wind whipped around the small craft as it snarled through the air. A bright light in the distance indicated the exit; however the flashing blip on one of the many screens removed any hopes that the flight would remain uneventful.

"Unregistered shuttle. Land immediately and prepare for detainment." The comms panel growled to life, the gruff voice of a Rebel Soldier barked out of the speakers. The light of the exit was quickly blotted out in part as a patrol ship drifted into position.

"Designation Monty, it is inadvisable to comply."

Pushing more levers forwards Monty nodded as the shuttle accelerated further, "Yeah, yeah I know all that…" The silhouette of the patrol ship stayed firmly in position.

"Unidentified shuttle. Land now!" The comms unit barked once more; however the order fell on deaf ears. "Shit… Alright, charge ion cannons…" The comms link cut off with the mutter from the Rebel on the other side. From the patrol ships nacelles a feral blue light begun to bubble and congeal as the ion cannons begun to charge.

"Oh hell…" Monty growled under his breath. With an audible screech, the orbs of gel were released from the cannons; the electricity squealing as it arced around the blobs. Grunting, Monty wrenched the controls to the side, sending the ship into a spinning strafe around the projectiles; the engines snarled as they tried to stabilise the shuttle once more. The shuttle redoubled its acceleration towards the exit; the patrol ship swerving downwards to avoid a collision as it's target sped out of the tunnel.

Dazed for a mere moment, the patrol ship quickly snapped into pursuit. The two ships roared into the sky, a complex and graceless dance of tracking and evasion. Thunderous claps rang from the patrol ship as its ion cannons fired once more, Monty tearing at the controls as he barely managed a dodge. The ships continued their high speed waltz as the heavy, screaming thuds of energy cannons rang out, their projectiles glancing off the orange form of the patrol ship and leaving glowing trenches of molten slag. While the patrol ship was reeling back from the damage, Monty took the opportunity to accelerate in the hopes of escaping; the engines lighting up in a bellowing inferno of heat and sound. However, in his haste an alert had not been noticed; and before anyone could react, a missile from the patrol ship embedded itself in a nacelle with a sickening crunch.

"Alert. Monty, a critical error has…" Tim was cut off as the missile detonated. Shreds of the engine nacelle rained down upon the landscape below; the twisted bulk of the ship spiralled downwards in close, burning pursuit.