Part 8 (2/2)

*Updates just came through,' she begins. *It's not good. Crux have captured Sorrowdale. Yes, yes, it's impossible. But they have. I don't need to tell you that Sorrowdale is an important gateway from West Rodina across the foodlands to Rimm, Loren and eventually Sea-Ways itself. If Sea-Ways falls that leaves Corona vulnerable and it'll only be a matter of time before Crux are marching through our beautiful capital city . . . and right to the doors of Aura's laboratories. Which is not going to happen. You're going to stop them.'

*Why have they even got that far?' Lida asks, speaking for all of us. *The Crux are just superst.i.tious fanatics. Rodina has superior technology and more disciplined ground forces.'

*When our technology works,' answers Fenlon gruffly.

Marina shrugs. *Normalisation squads are spraying Slick as fast as factories can produce it, but obviously it's not enough to guarantee bioweave won't unravel. Which is where our Storm squadron comes in. Now is the time to show the Nation what you're capable of. In a moment you can connect for coordinates and flight plans, but I'll tell you straight out, your first mission is to wipe out every last Crux in Sorrowdale, even if it means flattening the town.'

We all start clapping, while Ang mutters, *If only we could start with that smug streak, Steen Verdessica . . .'

No one will argue with that.

*You're acting tough, but I'm guessing you're all afraid of what tonight will bring,' Furey says starkly, looking at each one of us individually . . . pausing for a moment longer when she comes to me. *I don't blame you. You're going up into a night without lights, your wings weighted with bombs. Don't give in to your fear! Your Nation takes great pride in your efforts tonight. You're not just one person, you're One of Many.'

*One of Many!' we chant in response.

I look around. I still don't know the names of everyone on the squadron, and those I am getting to know well a” my new friends a” they're always bickering or bragging. Can we even pull ourselves together to work as a team?

Furey continues.

*I knew from the moment I first got airborne it was in my blood. If I could fly blind with you tonight I would. Instead, being stupidly too old for night-vision I pa.s.s my ambitions on to you. You have all taken an oath of loyalty to defend the Nation, so let's vow once more, together, to fight to our last breath in defence of our beloved homeland. The Crux come here to force us to return to Old Nation ways. They've stolen our territory, our peace, the lives of our people. Now the time has come to fight for harsh retribution. Rodina is the greatest Nation to fly the flag of civilisation! Stand in the ranks of the warriors for freedom! Success to you and combat glory!'

Forgetting our shabby outfits, our squabbles, our fears, we all draw taller and shout as one, *To combat glory!'

At Furey's signal we break rank. We sprint from the hangar, feet flying. First to the plane will be first away. Lida's long legs have her in the lead. Her propeller spins to life. Petra leaps into place behind her. Henke and Rill are fast too, if not quite first in the line to take revenge.

*Wait for me, Pip!' pants Zoya in her oversized boots, so I slow . . . long enough to catch sight of Marina Furey lighting up a choke to smoke with trembling fingers. I hear her swear and mutter to Reef, *They're only kids!'

*Never underestimate what a young person can do,' Reef replies calmly.

She coughs and laughs at the same time then throws her choke away. *You should know, Starzak, you should know. I've got clearance to see your record, remember . . .'

Know what? No time to wonder. Our Storm is waiting!

Just before I stow my keypad for take-off a message comes through from Reef.

hey rain h.e.l.lo reef i'll be thinking of you on your first mission a” good luck. Then, after a pause, he adds rain, perhaps i shouldn't tell you this, but i think of you all the time I smile inside . . . then I get a flashback to the sight of Reef standing with Roke, two Scrutiners together, at the edge of the airstrip after my test flight. I start to wonder, what does Reef think of when he thinks of me?

Airborne.

I patch into the primitive communication system Fenlon has installed in the Storm's c.o.c.kpit. You have to speak into a tube and hear voices through two lumpy receivers inside the flying helmet.

*Hey, Zoya, can you see the map OK to navigate?'

Zoya's voice crackles loudly in my ears.

*Not a problem. That's Rimm over there, and those are the lights of the westbound Transnation railway. We're on target for Sorrowdale. You know what? It must burn Furey to know we're going to bomb her home town.'

*What do you mean? I thought she lived in Corona?'

*Yeah, since she got famous, but she comes from Sorrowdale, didn't you know that? Guess you and her have something in common.'

I want to turn and look at Zoya to see what she means, but the wind is getting pretty strong and I have to keep firm hold on the control stick to steady us with each buffeting.

*I'm from Sea-Ways. I've never lived in Sorrowdale, you know that . . .'

*Maybe I got it wrong, but I once heard my father say you guys moved from there when you were small a” smaller, ha ha a” to get away from Lim lands. I'd do the same. Being so near the Mora.s.s would creep me out. Do you think . . . I mean, have you wondered about why we got picked for the Storm squadron, since we're not really experienced for anything? Do you reckon it's something to do with what happened after the crash?'

I sense, rather than see the dark ma.s.s of trees and mist that is the Mora.s.s, not far to the south of our flight path. Up here there is no Aura, there are no Scrutiners. We can speak freely. Trust each other. I could tell Zoya all about the weird things a” the way time stretched in the Mora.s.s, the death visions, everything.

*Pip? Did you hear me? Is this stupid speaker relay working?'

I could tell her about the normalcy test I took with Roke, about the black feathers, about Papi giving me Pedla's bane-metal protection charm. It would be wonderful to share all these abnormal things and know Zoya's on my side.

*Pip? I said, do you think there's something about the Mora.s.s that means we're on the squadron?'

I take a deep breath. *Honestly? I've no idea.'

*Doesn't Reef tell you anything? He must like you. Everyone's noticed he's always watching you.'

I gulp emotions down. *Not really.'

Before Zoya can ask any more questions I see the faint wing-lights of Lida's Storm drop alt.i.tude ahead of us. We're close. Oh G.o.d, this is real. This is actually going to happen. Suddenly our engines seem painfully loud in the night's silence. Surely the Crux will have heard us a” seen us a” coming? The Storms really are lumbering toy planes compared to proper technology.

*Can you get a fix on the target?' I ask.

*Dead ahead,' Zoya answers.

There it is. Sorrowdale. A Rodina town crawling with Crux soldiers. Can our little Storms make a difference when the Nation's best bombers have failed?

Lida's Storm drops even lower, then up! Bombs away!

She gains height rapidly and banks round to the right. I hold my breath. The night explodes. We cover our eyes against the sudden flare. Has she hit the town? I can't tell; can't make sense of the confusion on the ground.

The second plane approaches. New bombs fall. Henke and Rill make it through, trailing the echo of wild words in their wake a” Death to you all! Death for the death of our parents!

Our turn next. I'm sick with tension. This is it! I hear a few feeble spurts of anti-aircraft fire as we dive. Zoya lines up the weapon sights and releases the wires, just as she's done a thousand times in the simulator a” bombs away! It's like sowing seeds of death, not life.

I give us a surge of power to climb, curve and escape. The blast follows but doesn't catch us. We whoop and cheer like we've just won the whole war in one go . . .

We've barely touched down at Loren again when Yeldon's at the plane. He's stripped down to a vest so his biceps show better.

*Thought you said it'd be dangerous!' he shouts to Zoya over the noise of the propeller. *You haven't even got any bullet holes anywhere.'

Zoya sticks her tongue out at him.

*Hold steady while we refuel and rearm.'

<script>