Chapter 2

"Took them long enough," Michael said almost casually. "How many are there, Anna?"

"I, I think there's… there's four people." She replied.

"Four people. That means either two attack skids or one really understaffed destroyer. As long as it's not the latter, we should be alright." Michael said.

His remark about the size of the forces didn't do anything to settle my stomach, however. I headed to the door.

"Hold up Yukari, I'm coming out with you. Anna, take the wheel. Take us towards the first defense line outpost. Looks like we won't make it to base." Michael said.

"She can navigate this thing?" I asked.

"Yes, I can." She said in an annoyed tone.

I stepped outside. Jonathan and Michael followed. I looked around at the horizon, in the direction of the city dome, but I couldn't see the dome or any war ship either.

"Jonathan, there's a converted TURING cannon in the back of the ship. The AI is damaged so you'll have to aim and fire it manually. Unfortunately that's all this boat has in terms of weapons." Michael instructed.

Jonathan nodded, and headed to the back of the boat to warm up the cannon. I turned to Michael. He was looking intently at the horizon, and then finally turned to look at me.

"Well, crap," He said abruptly.

"What's wrong now?" I asked uneasily.

"Seems it was the latter. We've got a damn destroyer bearing in on us."

"We… do? How do you know?"

"Mechanical eyes, remember?"

"Oh, right."

Jonathan sprinted back over to the wheelhouse door, opened it, and told Anna to do something. I couldn't quite make it out what he said. Moments later, however, the sails of the ship began to retract themselves. Jonathan walked back over, while fumbling with something on his arm.

"You're going to want to hold onto something." He told me bluntly.

Not seconds later the ship suddenly lurched forward, increasing speed rapidly. The force of the acceleration threw me flat on my rear.

"Damn it Michael, would you mind giving me at least a little more warning next time?"

"Sorry, Yukari. We're going to need all the speed we can get now. There's no way we can take on a destroyer ourselves, even if it is understaffed. It'll burn a hell of a lot of our fuel, but I think living is more important at the moment."

I grabbed Michael's now-outstretched hand and pulled myself off the cold steel deck. I brushed myself off and took another glance around. In-between repeated efforts to keep my hair out of my eyes as the ship raced, I began to see this destroyer Michael had been talking about. It was obvious that despite our intense speed, it was catching up with us, and quick. I looked at Michael again, and I could tell by his expression that he was well aware of this.

"They're catching up," I said cautiously.

He remained silent. After a few moments, he lifted his right arm. The underside of his forearm popped open, revealing a long cylindrical tube.

"Is that…"

"A gun? Sort of. It's a high caliber rifle chamber. The genetic farm put all sorts of crap like this in me. Not often I get a chance to actually use it though."

"So you think we're going to have to fight them?"

"No, I'm thinking we're going to get shot all to hell before we even get a chance to do that. But just in case we don't, I'm getting ready."

All this talk of imminent destruction was not helping my stomach, so I decided to get far away from Michael before he managed to talk me to death. I figured I'd check on Jonathan, in hopes that maybe he had a solution.

"Jonathan, do you think—"

"This cannon isn't going to do anything to that destroyer, if that's what you were going to ask."

"What the hell is it with everyone interrupting me today?" I asked angrily.

"I guess you're just predictable," Jonathan replied.

"Fine, fine. Whatever. Then do you have a solution? I'd prefer not to get killed just hours after escaping."

"I wish I did, Yukari. That thing has a massive engine on it, an artillery cannon and four weapon turrets, thick armor, and four highly trained soldiers. We're screwed, for lack of a better word." Jonathan remarked.

"You know what? Fine, you all give up and prepare for death. I, however, am going to do something about the damn situation."

Before Jonathan could even say a word, I ran over to the side of the deck, flipped over on the other side of the rail, and lowered myself as much as possible. I looked at the oncoming terrain, estimated the speed we were traveling at, and I jumped off.