Here we go, I actually made it. Five minutes on the clock, and away we go!
The three… insects that had followed me (my friend, and what I assumed was his family) wasted no time in flying in. There was a brief reaction complete with the raising of weapons when they spotted me without my suit. I pointed to it, in its recharge station, and then to me.
A few repeats and they picked it up. Once that was done, a few gestures at the seat next to mine, the highly padded and crash resistant seat, had them all sitting down.
When I picked up my seat belt and held it and all three of them mimicked the action I knew they were on my wavelength. I’d still have to be gentle, as they couldn’t belt in. I lowered the gravity to keep from potentially crushing them into the chair and they noticed, taking turns looking around and at each other.
A short burn, just enough for the g-forces to plaster me in the seat, and we rose. I was skirting rules here; in order to keep the company’s claim solid, I had to stay planetside. I launched some spoof signatures for the pirates to shoot at, using some superheated signal rods nestled near the power core and made for the purpose.
I launched four, they shot three down. It wasn’t important where the projected course was, as long as it wasn’t my actual course.
The missiles slammed down onto the surface where I’d been; fat and slow archaic chemical burners whose effectiveness could not be denied. I corkscrewed down ahead of what could only be a slug thrower of some kind, fired four more of the spoofs, and landed… right back where I’d been.
….And that’s it! Enjoy, and see you next week!
Nagrij writes the hits you never knew existed. 