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chief　fitter　grinned；　saluted　him；　and　closed　the　canopy。　Immediately；　the　sound　changed。　The　wail
of　the　jets　was　dulled；　but　Marquall　was　suddenly　contained　in　a　resonating　box　of　ultrasonic
vibrations。
Marquall　checked　the　canopy　lock；　then　made　a　gesture　almost　like　a　genuflection　to　his　chief。
Racklae　saw　it；　nodded；　then　jumped　down　and　hurried　over　into　cover　behind　the　revetment　wall　of
the　pad　enclosure。
“Umbra　Eight。　Locked　and　ready。”
“Got　you；　Eight。”
“Umbra　Ten；　ready。”
“Umbra　Seven。　Fit。”
“Stand　by；”　Jagdea　said　again。　“Four…Two　are　lifting　out　ahead　of　us。”
There　was　a　warble　of　voices　across　the　vox…channel；　then　a　wailing　rush　that　was　loud　even
with　the　canopy　down　and　helmet　on。　From　hardstands　nearby；　four　Thunderbolts　hoisted
themselves　up　vertically　into　the　air。　The　space　beneath　each　one　was　a　heat…distorted　wash　of
vectored　thrust。　Blansher；　Asche；　Cordiale　and　Ranfre；　Umbra　Two：　Four；　Eleven　and　Twelve
respectively。
On　Blansher’s　expert　lead；　they　began　to　climb　and　move　forward　as　their　vector　ducts　gently
swung　around。　In　neat　formation；　they　rose；　gaining　speed。　As　they　crossed　away　down　the　length　of
the　field；　their　primary　exhausts　lit　up　hot　and　yellow　as　full　thrust　switched　through　them。　Already；
they　were　receding；　climbing　higher；　accelerating。
“Operations；　this　is　Four…One　Leader；”　Marquall　heard　Jagdea　say。　“Permission　to　rise。”
“Four…One　Leader；　this　is　Operations。　You　are　cleared　for　immediate　launch。　Good　hunting。”
“Four…One；　this　is　Lead。　Let’s　go。”
Marquall　opened　the　throttle　and　felt　his　machine　quiver；　as　if　it　had　become　enraged。　Maximum
thrust。　He　felt　the　gentle　wobble　as　The　Smear　left　the　stand。　Even　though　it　expended　masses　of
fuel　reserve；　Marquall　preferred　vector　take…offs。　He　hated　ramp　launches；　and　the　bludgeoning
smack　of　the　rocket　boost。　He　was　thankful　that　no　ramps　had　yet　been　erected　at　Theda。
He　glanced　around；　compensating　for　the　wallow　of　his　rising　Bolt。　To　his　left；　Umbra　Ten　was
coming　up。　Marquall　could　almost　hear　Zemmic　fiddling　with　his　rosary　of　lucky　charms　as　his　bird
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rose。　To　his　right；　Jagdea　lifted　to　vertical；　and　Clovin；　two　stands　down　from　her。　Forty　metres　up；
perfect　station　keeping。
“Wait　for　it；”　Jagdea’s　voice　cautioned。　Blansher　favoured　the　slow；　gentlemanly　climb　from
vertical　to　full　forward；　but　Jagdea　preferred　the　hammer　start。　The　fitter　crews　knew　it。　They’d
already　hit　the　bunkers。
“Wait…”
Fifty　metres。
“On　me；　extend；　full　thrust；”　Jagdea　ordered。
Her　machine　roared　forward；　crossing　the　field　at　fifty　metres；　ducts　violently　thrown　to　level
flight。　Clovin　gunned　after　her；　then　Zemmic。　Marquall　nursed　his　throttle　and　then　bulleted　after
them。
The　ground　shot　away　underneath　them　like　speeded…up　pict　images。　The　punch　kicked　Marquall
back　into　his　seat。　At　full　burn；　they’d　cleared　the　deadlands　beyond　the　field　and　had　already
reached　close　to　six　hundred　kph　before　they　formed　up　and　began　to　rise。
“Four…One　Leader；　we　have　cleared　the　field。　Climbing　now　to　five　thousand。　Heading　southwest；
ten…eight…four。”
“Ten…eight…four；　copy　Leader；”　Operations　replied。　“Nice　launch。　Maybe　you　can　apologise　to
our　eardrums　later。”
“Copy　that；　Operations。　Fast　up；　fast　away。　That’s　the　way　we　do　things　where　I　come　from。”
“Understood。　What　else　do　you　do　where　you　come　from？”
“We　kill　bats。”
“Copy　that；　Leader。　Good　to　know。　Make　your　level　nine　thousand　and　turn　south…west　eleveneight…
five。”
“Eleven…eight…five。　Understood。　Four…One；　check　in。”
“Four…One；　Seven。　On　your　lead。”
“Four…One；　Ten。　At　your　heels；　to　port。　Nice　day　for　it。”
“Clear　as　a　bell；　Zemmic。　Count　your　lucky　charms。”
Marquall　adjusted　his　mask。　“Four…One；　Eight。　Right　with　you。”
“Stay　close；　Marquall。　This　is　going　to　be　a　breeze。”　It　was。　He　knew　it　was。　He　was　going　to
make　sure　it　was。
He’d　screwed　up　on　his　virgin　outing。　He　could　still　see　Pers　Espere；　sitting　in　his　cockpit；　blood
on　everything。　The　image　was　in　his　dreams　and　his　waking　thoughts。
But　Jagdea　hadn’t　given　up　on　him。　He　could　do　this。　He　was　Phantine。　He　wasn’t　going　to
screw　up　a　second　time。
Natrab　Echelon　Aerie；　Interior　Desert；　08。16
Barbed　limbs　glinting　in　the　fierce　light；　the　slave　servitors　carried　him　out　onto　the　foredeck　of　the
aerie　in　his　burnished　litter。　His　pearl…white　machine　sat　in　its　launch　cradle　below　him；　the　desert
light　winking　off　its　stark　lines。
The　servitors　were　moaning　a　litany　of　providence　and　blood…hunger。　Flight　Warrior　Khrel　Kas
Obarkon　smiled。　The　litter　came　to　a　stop。　Obarkon　disconnected　the　heavy　golden　pipes　that　linked
his　body　to　the　carriage’s　life…support　and　slid　his　helmet　down　into　place　so　that　it　locked。
He　pulled　back　the　silk　drape　and　stepped　out　onto　the　sunburned　deck。　Tall；　lean；　encased　from
throat　to　foot　in　glinting　black　grav…armour；　he　raised　his　spidery　arms；　and　the　slaves　fell　to　their
knees。
The　sun　was　still　low　in　the　sky；　and　the　platform　beneath　his　feet　rocked　slightly　as　the　massive
land　carrier　trundled　on　over　the　dunes。
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Obarkon　waved　a　skeletal　hand　and　one　of　the　servitors　ran　up　with　his　speaking　cone。　Engraved
and　ornate；　it　was　a　bell　fashioned　from　solid　gold；　mounted　on　a　bronze　stand。　Obarkon　took　hold
of　the　dangling　lead　and　plugged　it　into　his　larynx　socket。
“Fifth　echelon！”　His　digitally　corrupted　voice　boomed　out　over　the　upper　and　lower　launch
decks。　“You　who　are　of　the　Anarch；　so　sworn　to　he　that　is　Sek！　Heed　me！”
All　along　the　burnished　decks　of　the　carrier；　the　flight　warriors　of　the　fifth　echelon　stood　to
attention　beside　their　cradled　machines。　Their　litter　bearers　were　retreating　into　the　blast　cavities。
“The　Anarch　wills　us；　so　we　obey！　Who　shall　find　blood　in　the　air？”
“We　will！”　the　flight　warriors　howled　back。
“Who　will　make　the　kill？”
“We　will！”　The　decks　shook。
“Who　will　stain　the　earth　with　the　enemy’s　life？”
“We　will！”
“To　your　machines；　your　chieftain　commands！”
Raising　a　bloody　cheer；　the　flight　warriors　clumped　to　their　waiting　bats。　Obarkon　plucked　out
the　speaker　cord　and　walked　over　to　his　Hell　Razor　unsupported。　He　insisted　on　doing　this；　even
though　he　could　last　less　than　ten　minutes　without　full　life…support。　It　was　a　show　of　personal
strength　that　the　crew　admired。
Servitors　lifted　him　into　his　cockpit　and　automated　systems　linked　him　in。　He　breathed　more
easily　again　once　the　Hell　Razor’s　augmetics　took　over　the　maintenance　of　his　life。
The　spinal　plugs　engaged。　The　systems　came　to　life；　feeding　their　data　of　fuel　tolerance；　payload
and　energy　into　his　cortex。　His　eyes　saw　through　the　guns　now。
The　canopy　closed；　shutting　him　in　darkness。
Displays　lit　in　his　head。
“Clear！”　he　ordered。
A　whining　began；　rose；　exploded。
“Launch！”　he　commanded。
The　ion　catapults　rose　to　power　and　discharged。　The　pearl…white　Hell　Razor　fired　off　the　carrier
deck　into　the　sky。　Only　his　grav…armour　prevented　Obarkon　from　being　crushed　into　his　seat。
Behind　him；　like　darts　from　a　bow；　twenty　more　machines　launched　into　the　desert　air；　some
crimson；　some　mauve；　some　silver；　some　black。
They　formed　up　around　him　as　he　turned　west；　towards　the　mountains。　Obarkon　switched　to　his
rear　pict　relays　and　watched　Natrab　aerie　fall　away　behind　him。　The　scale　of　it　always　delighted
him。　A　leviathan；　fully　a　kilometre　long；　bristling　with　weapon　ports；　riding　across　the　dune　sea　on　a
hundred　bogeys　of　five…metre　diameter　wheels。
Such　was　the　might　of　the　Anarch；　sworn　unto　him　that　is　the　High　Archon；　blessed　Gaur。
“Echelon；”　he　said；　adjusting　his　link。　“Let　us　kill。”
Palace　Pier；　09。12
“You’re　early；”　Beqa　said。
Viltry　shrugged。　“The　sortie　was　called　off。　Repairs；　you　see。　Maybe　this　afternoon。”
“Breakfast？”
“Please。”
“I　have　eggs；　You　eat　eggs；　right？”
“Not　fish　eggs？”
“No；　not　fish　eggs。”
“Then；　yes。”
“Have　a　seat；”　she　said。
60
Viltry　wandered　over　to　his　favoured　table。　The　cafe　was　quite　busy。　Old　folk　out　for　breakfast；
and　groups　of　manufactory　workers　chasing　a　hot　meal　after　their　night　shift。
Outside；　the　sky　was　spare　and　pale；　a　strong　wind　chasing　the　clouds　out　of　the　air。