#vegnagun

"Titanomamachy" by author

"You're kidding, right?" Gippal said. "You know damn well what Nooj is trying to do."

"Yes." She glanced at Auron, who was setting Baralai on the floor. "Hold him." Taking Gippal's seat, she threw the flyer into reverse. There was an instant of freefall before the craft stabilized. Vegnagun wheeled up and away from them, heading back towards Sin.

Gippal grabbed onto the guardrail. "Paine, have you lost your freakin' mind?"

"If Nooj intended suicide, Vegnagun wouldn't obey him." She tried an experimental turn. "How's Baralai?"

"Burns, erratic heartbeat," Auron said. "He needs a healer."

"Okay, great." Gippal hung on as the flyer tipped and straightened. "So now you'resuicidal. Look, you've flown this thing exactly twice—"

"Plus two years piloting Vegnagun in simulation, two more working unloaders at Moonflow Port," she said. "Now shut up and let me concentrate."

"No offense, but this is a stupid time for a joyride. And it's my flyer."

"There. That should do it." Nooj hesitated, his hand poised over a blue hemisphere bolted to Vegnagun's console. "Baralai. I still think you should go back. If this fails, I'd rather not be responsible for the death of Bevelle's chief administrator."

"And leave you alone with this thing? Not a chance." Baralai leaned forward, playing a somber series of notes to weave a protective bubble around them. "Punch it."

"All right." A low bleeping started when Nooj pressed the switch. He hunkered down, bracing himself. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

"I've gotten out of the habit, Nooj. Even those I trust go behind my back."

"She'll watch your back even when you don't want it. Especially then."

"I suppose you would know better than I."

The bleeping was rising in pitch. The cockpit began to vibrate. The lake boomed and cracked as the massive machina pitched forward, tearing its feet free of the ice.

"Hang on," Nooj said. "Phase in ten seconds... five... four... three... two—"

There was a roar, a downwards lurch, and the sickening sensation of plunging through solid matter.

well, emotions and a piano-like control panel