Skies of Fire

Harkan rubbed his nose with the back of his hand as he gave his Skywing one last check. He frowned slightly, tightening a bolt here and recalibrating a wingtip there before finally stepping back with a smile. "We've got an important run tomorrow, Osprey," he told it as he ran his hand over the Skywing's chassis, "An ammuniton drop on the front lines."

The Osprey stood quietly, it's newly polished chassis gleaming under the gaslights of the War Zeppelin's hangar. Harkan sighed as he took off his gloves and stuffed them into his jacket. "I'll see you tomorrow then. Good night, Osprey." He turned around and walked towards the hangar door, taking the time to turn the knob by the door, the lights fading into darkness.

"Do you always talk to your Skywings?" Telana frowned as she watched Harkan close the hangar door.

"Skywing." Harkan said, "Osprey is the only Skywing I'll ever need."

Telana rolled her eyes, "Whatever. It's not normal you know. The psychiatrist will have words with you if they ever find out that you do it all the time."

Harkan chuckled as they began walking down he narrow corridor, "Maybe, but Osprey's been with me since we got drafted in this stupid war."

"You don't see me talking to my gun turret, do you?" Telana said, "And we've both been stationed here longer than you have."

"True." Harkan admitted, "Still, I think talking to your gun turret would be silly."

"Look who's talking."

"No, seriously! Think about it this way. The Osprey is a complete Skywing, it's not a part of something bigger."

"Your point being?"

"Well, I'd feel silly if I were to talk to... let's say, a bolt, or a wingtip actuator of the Osprey. It would only be part of a greater whole."

Telana narrowed her eyes, "Are you saying that I don't have a right to talk to my gun turret because its only a part of the Zeppelin?"

"Kind of like just talking to a person's hand rather than the person, yes."

"You're impossible."

Harkan grinned at that, "You're only saying that because I make sense."

"Whatever." Telana smiled back, as they reached the crew quarters, "Now go get some sleep, you'll need it for tomorrow's flight."

----

The War Zeppelin flew high over the shattered remains of London, the streets littered with debris and fire, civilians running for their lives as the German BoilerMecha pressed on with their offensive, their steam vents throwing out clouds of vapor as they opened fire with their automatic cannons.

Harkan surveyed the scene below, "This is crazy..." he said even as he heard the warning horn sound inside the hangar. The Osprey was already suspended on the launch hooks, its nose pointing upwards, cockpit open. Several other Skywings hung after it on a conveyor belt even as the launch bay beneath began to open, the wind whipping Harkan's jacket.

The Launchman held up both hands and made a cutting gesture, indicating that they were about to commence launching. Harkan ran towards the Osprey and strapped himself in the belly of the osprey, sliding the glass canopy over his upper body. Pulling a lever, the Osprey's wings tucked themselves around him, in launch position.

Harkan nodded once, as the horn blared once more. He felt his gut tighten as the hooks let go, the Osprey plummeting tail first to the ground below. As soon as they cleared the belly of the War Zeppelin, Harkan yanked on another lever, the Osprey spinning in mid air like a top, before unfurling its wings, tumbling into a level flight.

Harkan couldn't help but smile at that... he loved flying, no matter what the circumstance, but the sudden sound of exploding BoilerMecha below shook him from his reverie. In the distance, he caught sight of them, the Royals, a squadron of the Queen's BoilerMecha, trying to hold off against a combined offensive of German BoilerMecha and SteamPanzers.

"-kan... read me?" the radio console above him squawked to life. It was Telana. "..Mecha on their way. Drop... unition to the ..east" Harkan shook his head, stupid radio technology "I can't read you, Telana." he replied, twisting a few knobs and he began to fly at full speed, "Could-" he stopped as he saw five shapes come out of the smoke in the distance. Blitzwings... he braced himself, pulling down a grip with a trigger from the overhead console of the Osprey. "I've got company. Osprey heading to engage the Blitzwing squadron."

"We're right behind you sir." his wingman said, dipping their wings to him in salute as his squadron flew to engage the Blitzwings...

--- to be continued ---