For a few moments, Gauntlet2's dulled senses struggled uncomprehendingly with the star-scattered blackness that drifted slowly across his viewpoint. Then instinct came into play. Almost involuntarily his hand grasped the flight controller and brought the Phoenix out of her gentle spin.

Gauntlet2's head was pounding. Gingerly he reached up to his forehead and felt a lump the size of a chicken's egg, sticky with congealing blood. "Ouch!" he said, stronger words failing him for the moment.

He looked at the main command console. It was dead - no HUD, no radar, no power, no main engine, no comms. - only the directional thrusters were working for certain and without the HUD he had no idea of his shield or armour status. Bending forward slowly Gauntlet2 slid back the console access panel and stared disapprovingly at the molten mass of plastic and circuitry. He pursed his lips as his fogged brain assessed the situation, "Fuck!" he said at length, his analysis complete.

Gauntlet2 swivelled the pilot's chair around towards the rear of the cockpit and winced as the pain in his head caught up a few seconds later. He reached up and eased open the panel that provided access to the emergency ship backup systems… the hinges protested loudly and Gauntlet2 gritted his teeth against the painful noise. He keyed in the security code and pressed the start-up button. Nothing happened. He flicked a couple of sub-systems offline, dialled the master power setting to a lower rating and pressed the button again. "C'mon, sweetheart" he implored "don't let old Gauntlet2 down now, will you?" A loud thump sounded from the rear of the ship followed by a choked buzzing that settled into a reedy hum. Gauntlet2 smiled and patted the cockpit bulkhead affectionately. He looked once more at the main console. The HUD projector LED winked on, the HUD on the viewport lit up, flickered, then steadied. Gauntlet2 examined critically the information it presented. "Hmmm… shields at 4% and climbing, bloody slowly though" he observed "armour at 76%" He mentally thanked the Ocatavian ship designers and their obsession with protective plating. Gauntlet2 now knew that his Phoenix's superstructure had been damaged, but not too badly - he'd had worse. He still had no idea of his whereabouts though. "Now for the radar" he thought. A few practised recalibrations and he had auxiliary power running to the radar too. The monitor slowly came to life, "24k" Gauntlet2 observed "not bad considering." He peered at the scope, looking for company, "Blue dot… red dot… two green… another blue. Should be another red one." He cycled the target selector through the radar objects, but the target imager was still offline. Gauntlet2's memory suddenly presented the vision of an exploding Apteryx and his heart leapt... "Wolfeee, what happened to Wolfeee! Gotta get comms. up".

Ten minutes of fevered rewiring later, the comms channel burst into life, voices filling his cockpit:

"… one piece. I don't think I've any armour left at all"

"…bought it. Did you see him?"

"This is Podz… online… just. My ship's damaged. Anybody else make it?"

"CUT THE BLOODY RACKET!" StrontDog's clipped accent lent his voice even greater authority as he bellowed for silence.

"Where's the BOSS?" he asked "Anyone heard from Gauntlet2? I've got him on radar, but he ain't answering."

Gauntlet2 clicked his transmit key. "This is Gauntlet2. Sorry StrontDog, I only just got comms. back… cockpit's a bloody mess, and I think I was knocked out for a while."

"You're not the only one." replied StrontDog. "Phaebus was out cold for half an hour. He's still trying to get his radar online, too. My shields and armour are practically non-existent but my radar is okay. I've got everyone located, but…" he paused.

"Wolfeee bought it, G2." DaveG continued, solemnly. "Aelgas and I were on our way out of that cloud before you shouted… we lit out as soon as the keening started. Got our arses badly singed all the same. We saw the explosion hit the rest of you… Wolfeee didn't turn quickly enough... I saw him blow…. " DaveG also paused for a moment, "There was no 'pod, G2... he's gone."

There was silence. DaveG had voiced the awful truth the others all knew. UKM had lost one of its own.

Aelgas was the first to speak. "I'm sorry, chaps, but there's something else, too. If you look... bearing 240/10… where the centre of the 'Nine Sisters' was."

The pilots looked. Most of them, like Gauntlet2, were taking notice of their surroundings again for the first time since the explosion.

"Great Gods!" exclaimed DaveG, "Will you look at that!"

"Bloody Hell! Check the size of it." exclaimed Podz

"What in the Five Factions is it?" wondered StrontDog aloud.

As Aelgas had experienced before, the anomalies were gone. The pink fog still remained… but it was thinning… dispersing… and out of the centre of it loomed a dark mass… giant, foreboding and sinister. It was the wrecked hulk of a massive spaceship.

"Whatever it is," said Aelgas, sadly "it's right where Shado's pod was. I fear he too is lost to us."

Gauntlet2's heart sank. "Two! Two pilots gone… forever… in one mission". he struggled to take it in. Shado had been a great guy to have around: young, energetic and keen; with a searching, questioning, intelligent mind and yet full of an infectious enthusiasm for the most hare-brained adventures; much like Gauntlet2 imagined Aelgas had been before the responsibilities of age and position overtook him.

Subdued, the UKM pilots gazed at the enormous wreck, each alone with their own thoughts as the last of the fog disappeared.

Eventually DaveG spoke, "I think," he said, his voice catching ever so slightly "we owe it to Wolfeee and Shado to investigate yon wreck"

"That's true. Why, Shado would have given his eye teeth for the chance" added Phaebus.

"NO WAY!" said Gauntlet2 angrily "Look, I've already lost two pilots today and I'm not risking anyone else. We go back, we re-equip and then maybe we come out again."

"We've all lost two pilots today, chief." StrontDog chided gently "It could have gone by the time we get back. 'Sides, maybe if we go look we'll find out Shado's pod's still there…."

"Forget it, SD… he's gone." said Aelgas with a sad certainty "He'd never have survived a second explosion."

"I vote we take a look, for Shado" said Podz

"I agree" said Phaebus

There was a chorus of affirmations. Gauntlet2 said nothing. He could order them back to Hyperial, as their commanding officer… "And then what? he thought "Have 'em shot for questioning orders?"

That wasn't the way UKM worked. He decided against pulling rank. "This is their way of honouring the… the… missing." he reflected, "There's no one to be revenged on, except Space itself… this is the only way of mourning."

"Okay, we're going to take a look" Gauntlet2 announced. "But I want a damage report from each of you first."

The pilots dutifully called off the status of their ships… it didn't sound good. StrontDog and Podz were the worst off, neither had more than 10% armour and Podz only had 70% shield regeneration. Gauntlet2 and Phaebus, in their 'Nixs, had benefited from the Octavian fondness for armour but Phaebus reported that his engine was faltering. DaveG and Aelgas had escaped the worst of the explosion, but Aelgas' already flux-damaged ship was now down to 40% armour.

"Right then, a quick scan and back to Hyperial. We can't afford to hang around too long, even if the 'Flux do seem to stay away from here. If they're nervous… I'm nervous. We go in quick and bug out… and that's an order!" Gauntlet2 commanded.

The other pilots acknowledged. Under Gauntlet2's direction they spread out in line abreast and approached at half speed.

The wreck was truly titanic. It was roughly cylindrical for most of its length, quite slender except that one end terminated in an ugly clump of clustered pipes and cones that might have been massive engines. From these the stumps of what must once have been graceful spars or masts jutted out at regular intervals. The other end was broken off in a tangle of girders and tortured metal, so there was little telling how long in total the ship had been. Most of the platework was missing, but here and there along the thinner cylindrical portion enough remained to make out what looked like smaller versions of station docking tubes, with raised rings around them. Where these 'docking tubes' were best preserved, they were surrounded by smaller rectangular openings, very similar to the hanger bays the UKM pilots were familiar with.

Most striking of all, however, were the wreck's markings. A dull grey for the most part, the midpoint of the cylinder was emblazoned with an enormous icon. It depicted an armoured fist, clenched defiantly, and behind it a red and yellow starburst.

DaveG's mind reeled. He knew that symbol, he KNEW it! He couldn't say what significance it had, but he knew it meant something to him. An image flashed fleetingly across his mind, fiery spheres dropping from a cylindrical core… he tried to grasp it… to hold on to the picture… but failed.

"DaveG, DAVEG! RESPOND!" Gauntlet2's urgent voice penetrated his confusion.

"DaveG responding. What's up G2?"

"What the bloody Hell are you doing? I gave the order to pull back. Why are you still closing with that hulk?"

DaveG looked at his radar. The green and blue dots that were StrontDog, Aelgas and Podz were some distance now behind him. Two red dots occupied the middle of the radar, either side of the centre point that marked the position of his own ship. DaveG looked out of his starboard viewpoint to see Phaebus' 'Nix, the trail of it's drive exhaust intermittently punctuated by yellow sparks. To DaveG's left was Gauntlet2.

"Soz guys." DaveG apologised "It's just… I know what this ship is, I know that symbol, I just can't hold on to the memory long enough."

They were very close to the wreck now. Its ominous bulk overshadowed their fighters. The three pilots could see one of the small 'docking tubes' very clearly. Below it were three rectangular tunnels… "launching tubes…" thought DaveG suddenly, "Those are launching tubes!"

"Guys" Phaebus' voice shook slightly "I can hear something. It's like a throbbing hum… but with a sort of wailing noise. I don't know what it is… but I got a very bad feeling about… STREWTH!"

From each of the three openings emerged the blunt-nosed streamlined shape of a C3 squid, each flanked by two smaller C1s. Following them out from the shadowy depths of each tube Gauntlet2 could make out the squat bodies of three Snails.

"OH… MY… GOD!" he exclaimed "Gauntlet2 to UKM. Break! Break! BREAK!

Forming into loose star formations two groups of Squids and Snails, twelve in all, headed towards StrontDog, Aelgas and Podz, gathering speed as they passed. The remaining Conflux turned menacingly towards the three fighters, spitting purple death as they sped in.

"STRONTDOG! You've got incoming, BREAK! BREAK!" yelled Gauntlet2 as he rolled and hauled his Phoenix around in a curving left dive to escape the incoming fire.

The 'flux spilt formation, two Snails curving round to intercept DaveG's Typhoon as it climbed in a steep right bank. The C3 and C1's went after Phaebus as he shot upwards over the hulk, his Phoenix already rolling to pull down over the other side.


Gauntlet2 steepened his dive, rolled right, chopped the throttle and let his momentum pull the rear of the 'Nix around, bringing its nose on to the track of the overshooting Snail that had tagged him. Gauntlet2's four Barraks flared and the Snail's shields crackled with purple light. It jinked left then shot away right, heading under the colossal wreck.

Phaebus struggled to control his Phoenix, the damaged engine's thrust was making the ship buck and skid. He finished his roll, pulling his inverted ship's nose up to dive behind the cover of the wreck. His eyes widened in horror as a new group of Conflux shot from the previously hidden launch tubes on this side. "Shit, there's millions of the sods!" he exclaimed. Instinctively he jerked the stick left, and punched the afterburner, heading for the engine clusters at the rear of the wrecked spaceship. His shields crackled and died, overloaded by multiple hits. Purple laser bolts skimmed past his cockpit and the over-stressed engine screamed as he corkscrewed away from the fire of the C3 on his tail… and flew straight into the combined tracers from the C4 Snails of the new group. The Snails' fire stitched holes in the armour as it worked its way down Phaebus' hull, penetrating the engine compartment. The already battered engine exploded, throwing the fighter into a flat spin as it sped onwards. "Hell's Fucking Teeth! Help me SOMEONE!" Phaebus shouted. The Phoenix's wing ripped off as it caught one of the pylon stubs at the rear of the hulk, flipping Phaebus' luckless craft into the derelict's superstructure. The escape pod's acceleration slammed Phaebus back into the pilot's couch as the pod rocketed away from the explosion. The pod's auto-dermics pumped his veins full of suppressants and Phaebus knew no more.

DaveG spun his Typhoon on its vertical axis and dropped his Duellist's target pipper over the lead pursuing Snail, the C4's laser fire passing harmlessly by as the 'flux struggled to adjust its aim. DaveG waited until the vectoring diamond lined up and pressed the trigger. The Snail veered off sharply, badly damaged by a broadside from four Thorns. DaveG inverted and dived. He spun the 'Phoon again and accelerated towards the second Snail. His Thorns fired rapidly, one. two, three, four… one, two, three, four… skewering the 'flux on needles of blue light. It exploded. DaveG dropped his speed and braked to a halt. The first Snail, returning to the fight, disintegrated under another broadside. DaveG checked his radar. The two groups of 'flux heading towards StrontDog's group were too far away for him to catch. Stront and the others would have to manage. He spotted Gauntlet2's 'Nix 'burning after a Snail, heading under the hulk, and dived to follow.

Gauntlet2 flew through the fireball of the Snail's explosion and pulled up, his cockpit almost scraping the derelict's hull as he hugged in close. To his right he could see a half dozen or more 'flux heading towards the engine end of the wreck. Gauntlet2 heard Phaebus' despairing cry moments before the fiery end of the exploding Phoenix told its own story.

Gauntlet2's face became a mask of cold fury… as his Phoenix rose above the superstructure he throttled back and flipped her savagely onto one wing, at the same time triggering the afterburners. Spinning on the 'Nix's long axis he pulled back on the stick and rolled in behind a C1 Squid. His Barraks chewed it to pieces. He twitched the stick left and ripped apart another. The other 'flux were turning now. Gauntlet2 climbed and split-S'd to pull in alongside a Snail. His lips drew apart in a mirthless smile as he cut his engine, skewed left and pumped the C4 full of Gauss projectiles until it too vanished in a ball of flame. Gauntlet2's shields were dropping, concentrated fire from the remaining 'flux hammering them down. "Time to leave" thought Gauntlet2. He lit the 'burners and rocketed upwards. Behind him a C3, too intent on the kill, blew apart as DaveG's Thorns ripped into it. The Quantar pilot pulled back on the stick and sped after his leader.

StrontDog looked at his radar at Gauntlet2's warning shout. "Holy Mother of Solrain!" he gasped. "Okay, Podz, Aelgas, stick with me. We've got to join the others or we've no chance. Put your noses towards the hulk and we'll 'burn through the 'flux. We'll take a few shots as we go past… concentrate on the C3's… but DON'T TURN unless I say so, DON'T CHASE THE KILL, just KEEP GOING, got it?"

The others answered in the affirmative.

"Right then," said StrontDog "form up, line abreast, we'll go on my mark. Podz, what's your top speed?"

"332 with 'burners" replied Podz.

"Okay, 332 it is then, Let's go!" commanded StrontDog.

The three pilots throttled up and headed towards the incoming horde. Podz could taste bile, "The taste of Fear" he thought. His earlier victory over the Snail had made him feel invincible, but now… he knew they were facing impossible odds.

"Listen up" StrontDog's voice sounded cool and confident, "in another coupla hundred metres we're gonna turn slightly… when they follow suit, we'll turn back towards the hulk. With luck they should be at the wrong angle to get a shot in. We'll cut throttle, hit 'em with a volley, and then run like shite! Got it"

Podz swallowed nervously, "Got it, StrontDog" he replied.

"Understood, SD" answered Aelgas

The distance between the three UKM pilots and the approaching Conflux dwindled rapidly

"UKM, on my mark… turn right thirty degrees." said StrontDog "Okay… three, two, one, MARK!" They turned, now heading slightly away from the incoming 'flux.

"Steady everyone," said StrontDog, calmly "cycle through till you get a C3… there's only two of 'em."

Podz wiped his sweating palm on his shipsuit trousers then pressed the target cycle button on his flightstick until the menacing image of a C3 Squid filled the viewer… it seemed to take forever to cycle through the oncoming 'flux… "Gods, we're done for… " Podz mutttered.

The massive bulk of the wrecked spaceship was much closer now, and with it the promise of mutual support from Gauntlet2, DaveG and Phaebus in their battle-hardened fighters.

"They're turning..." StrontDog called "hold your course… hold it… when I say so line up on the hulk… GO! Get ready to cut engines… NOW!"

They turned again. They were less than a thousand meters from the leading 'flux "Okay, LET THE BASTARDS HAVE IT!" yelled StrontDog.

A barrage of laser and projectile fire lashed out at the confused Squid and Snails. A C3, targeted by both Aelgas and StrontDog, twisted wildly beneath the punishment meted out by a combination of twin Thorn lasers and paired Barraks and Hitman guns, then exploded violently. Podz's own twin Calefactors were stabbing out at the remaining C3, scoring repeated hits, the Squid's shields faltering as the lasers hammered against them. Podz eased his flightstick left… leading his target… a few more hits. The other 'flux were returning fire now… the Snails had not adjusted yet for the second turn and their tracers were arcing harmlessly behind the UKM pilots' position. The more accurate C1s were concentrating on Aelgas, scoring a few hits, but their weak lasers were making slow impact on the Haven shields carried by the Cyclone and Aelgas' Thorns were clearly taking their toll, as one of the C1's blew apart. A distant Snail too, disappeared in a ball of flame as StrontDog's heavy weapons smashed through it's shields and into it's vulnerable core.

The UKM pilots' momentum had brought them within minutes of the wrecked spaceship and the support of their squadmates… "DISENGAGE! DISENGAGE!" StrontDog shouted, accelerating and banking his Intensity sharply to avoid a stream of Snail tracer. Aelgas swiftly spun his nimble Cyclone on it's tail and pointed the nose at the wreck, manoeuvring and throttling up in one practised movement. StrontDog followed suit, green exhaust trails snaking out behind him as he headed for the hulk.

"One more shot… one more… GOT YOU!" Podz's heart leapt exultantly as the C3 disintegrated. He could do this… he could dogfight! His shields erupted in a mass of blue lightning and he quickly slammed the throttle up, corkscrewing his Premia to throw off the 'flux's aim. Blue crackles filled his viewport again… and again… 60% shields… 42%… 28%… he couldn't shake them! "Get OFF of me, you BASTARDS!" Podz shouted. Triggering his afterburners he raced blindly in the direction of the hulk. Ahead he saw the sharp curve of StrontDog's drive trails as the senior pilot spotted Podz's mortal danger and looped back into the fray. Hitman cannons flared… blasting the C1s on Podz's tail. The agonised crack of armour hits filled Podz's ears as the Snails found his range.

StrontDog grunted with exertion as he threw his fighter into a tight barrel roll, dropping his sights onto the leading Snail. The Hitman's heavy projectile slammed into the 'flux and it staggered off to the right. On the edge of his vision Podz's badly damaged shuttle drew slowly ahead of its pursuers… StrontDog grinned relievedly… "Podz was going to make it…" .

Purple light flared ahead of the Premia, intensified and settled into the glowing ball of an anomaly. Weaving sharply to avoid the lasers of the trailing C1s, his eyes on the threat behind him, Podz had no chance to compensate. StrontDog gasped in horror as the Solrain shuttle smashed into the anomaly and shattered into a million fragments. The foremost trailing Squid, either blind or stupid, followed its target into oblivion, the explosion of its demise blending with that of the Premia. Podz's second pursuer swerved violently, clipped the anomaly a glancing blow and caroomed off into space. its shield flaring and dying from the impact.

In the millennia since Man first fought aerial battles in clumsy craft of wood, wire and canvas, little had changed in the nature of dogfighting. The sudden, unnerving transition from the mind-numbing confusion of the melée to a profound sense of being utterly alone in the sky was still the common experience of novices in their first engagement. Veteran pilots on the other hand learnt to process several streams of information simultaneously, seeming to develop eyes in the backs of their heads. 'Situational Awareness' was how the military academies termed it.

Thus it was that Gauntlet2, as he rocketed upwards with a half dozen 'flux behind him, was aware of DaveG forming up on his wing. He saw, too, the multi-coloured flashes of the other UKM group's engagement, and took in the reappearance of the 'Nine Sisters' even as he saw the blue dot that was Podz's Premia wink out of existence on his radar display. Below, the yellow streaks of Aelgas' afterburners were heading for the hulk, the squat bodies of two C4 Snails in close pursuit. "What the Hell is he doing?" thought Gauntlet2 "If he doesn't change course soon he'll ram the bloody wreck!"

Ahead, StrontDog's 'Tensity was a lonely speck of blue in a sea of pink. Gauntlet2 pushed his flight controller forward and 'burned toward the beleaguered Solrain. "DaveG, go clear those Snails off Aelgas' tail… then join Stront and me… we'll need you by then 'cos those bastards behind'll have caught up."

"Roger that, on my way" came the crisp response.

Aelgas sped towards the hulk, his mind working feverishly. He'd seen StrontDog loop over to go to Podz's aid. His instinct was to turn back too, but that would only lead the Snails behind him back into the fight. He rolled, watching the Snail on his target monitor repeat the manoeuvre, he cycled to the second Snail and rolled again. "Good!" he thought "They're still on me. I have to hold them there." He dropped his speed, allowing the 'flux to close to within firing range. His shields lit up and began to drop. He didn't worry. "If this works," he thought "they'll stop shooting soon enough." He grinned, "Come on my lovelies. Time to teach you some Quantar tricks."

The giant battered carcass of the ruined spaceship loomed frighteningly close… closer… closer… his shields were almost gone now. "Five… four… three… " Aelgas counted under his breath. On "One" he cut the throttle to zero and flipped the Cyclone on its long axis. Inverted, he took advantage of the Cyclone's pitch rate to pull her nose down, pointing below the hulk. He throttled up and hit the 'burners. This was going to be close!

DaveG sped towards the other Quantar pilot. "Shit!" he thought, "he isn't gonna make it!" His heart hammered in his chest as he forced every ounce of speed out of the Typhoon's engines. On the edge of his radar, five red-purple dots appeared, moving in rapidly, "Thank God!" DaveG breathed, "Octavians… Ahah! Perry's by the speed". The unwritten rule of Space dictated that the Conflux were the common enemy of all, faction rivalry suspended wherever the 'flux threatened. DaveG had never been so pleased to see Octavian Scouts in all his TRI career. Five blue dots detached themselves from the incoming craft. Two heading towards the spacehips's hulk, three towards….. DaveG frowned, "Why waste missiles on Snails and Squid?" he wondered. On DaveG's radar the three leading blue dots converged on the radar blips that represented StrontDog's valiant struggle against overwhelming odds. In the distance out of DaveG's port canopy an explosion blossomed… on his radar the blue dot that was StrontDog disappeared. "NO!" cried DaveG "YOU BASTARDS!"

"GOT YAH!" Aelgas shout of triumph echoed on the comms. channel as the two Snails, desperately turning, slammed into the slab-sided mass of the derelict and exploded. DaveG watched as Aelgas' Cyclone twisted, looped and pulled up over the far side of the hulk. Yellow trails flared as the Quantar academic lit his 'burners and climbed "Hah! Quantar miners throw rocks - Quantar archaeologists throw wrecks!" quipped Aelgas. His Cyclone crested the far side of the hulk…two missiles slammed into the butterfly-winged craft… the fireball flamed… and died, leaving only dissipating particles in its aftermath.

"AELGAS! GODS! NO!…. GAUNTLET2!" screamed DaveG

"I know, I know! I'm going after the bastards! Try and clear these 'flux from my tail." Gauntlet2's voice shook with shock. DaveG looked. Gauntlet2's Phoenix was speeding toward the newcomers… and behind him it seemed as if all the Conflux in the Galaxy were on Gauntlet2's tail.

Gauntlet2 shot toward the invading Perrys' like an avenging angel. The Scout craft separated, two heading off in DaveG's direction, the remaining three turning toward the oncoming Phoenix.

Two Purgatory missiles leapt from the rack beneath Gauntlet2's Phoenix. One of the Peregrine scouts ahead of him veered off sharply, the pilot responding evasively to the 'missile lock' indicator on his HUD. Gauntlet2 turned with the evading pilot, slewing across the other craft's drive trails and turning to bring his guns to bear. He fired, the Perrys' shield flickered. Behind him Gauntlet2 was aware of the approaching Conflux closing rapidly. "There you go, you bastards!" he thought, "You deal with these pinkies and then I'LL DEAL WITH YOU!" The Scout ahead pulled up and twisted to port. As Gauntlet2 followed, purple laser fire lit up his Phoenix's shields.

Gauntlet2 pulled the controller hard over and kicked the ethereal rudder. 'Littlebird' skidded sideways and Gauntlet2 cut in the afterburners. Behind him the enemy Scouts and the pursuing Conflux slipped into a loose formation and vectored toward him. Laser fire filled the space around him as he rolled and jinked desperately

"DaveG… DAVEG! GET OUT! GET OUT! There's something very wrong here. You, AH! SHIT!… you gotta get back to Hyperial… tell… FUCK! … tell the others!"

in the distance ahead of DaveG the Phoenix fighter's shields flickered a constant red.

"HANG ON, G! JUST HANG ON!. One of the Scouts incoming towards DaveG looped over and burned towards Gauntlet2's 'Nix, looking for the easy kill.

"FUCK IT! DAVEG, GO! GET OUTTA HERE! DO IT!"

Two missiles leapt from the radar image of Gauntlet2's Phoenix… speeding towards the last Peregrine Scout that was vectoring on DaveG's Typhoon.

Sick to his stomach, DaveG rolled his fighter hard over. Cycling through the radar signatures with hands that shook so much he could hardly hold the flightstick, DaveG targeted the Far Gate jumpgate and lit his last Flashfire as his 'Phoon leapt towards it.

"We… got a war… on our hands, DaveG" Gauntlet2's voice was cracking with the strain of extreme manoeuvres "and… I… WANT THESE MOTHER… FUC… KERS, I WANT… THEM DEAD! … YOU PROMISE? YOU PR…"

Behind DaveG's speeding ship, a distant explosion shone briefly, and faded.

"I promise, G2". Oh yeah, I PROMISE" DaveG replied into the silence.

In DaveG's rear viewport the looming shadow of the enemy Perry' drew closer. DaveG cycled his target imager through to the pursuing scout "Okay, 'TTS_Ibid', whoever you are, you want a fight, you murdering bastard… you got it!" he said softly, through clenched teeth. Suddenly, the Perry lurched sideways, shield flickering and fire spouting from its hull. Then the second of Gauntlet2's missiles hit, shearing off the Scout's starboard wing and flipping it into a tumbling roll. DaveG slowed and turned. With cold deliberation he brought and kept the Duellists target pipper over the enemy craft's cockpit and waited. Slowly the Peregrine pilot regained control… steadied his spinning ship. DaveG fired. The Scout's cockpit imploded, a gaseous cloud of red and pink mixing with the gobbets of molten armoured glass. The nose section broke off and spun lazily away.

A choking sob shook DaveG's body as he turned back towards the T&P 'gate. He would make it, he knew. Nothing, but nothing, would stop him.

"I promise" he said.