Sector 12 — The Rust Sprawl (Junkyard)
The Junkyard wasn't just a pile of trash; it was a city of ghosts. Mountains of crushed cars, skeletons of old mechs, and twisted rebar formed valleys and canyons.
Renji led the way, limping slightly. The run from the Earth-Mover had taken a toll on his failing body.
"Keep your eyes open," Renji muttered. "Scavengers out here will slit your throat for a AA battery."
"I thought we were looking for a ride," Kazuki whispered, gripping his staff. "This looks like where cars go to die."
"We're not looking for a car," Renji said, stopping in front of a massive wall made of stacked shipping containers. "We're looking for a rocket."
Renji picked up a rusted pipe and banged a rhythmic code against the metal wall.
CLANG. CLANG-CLANG. CLANG.
Silence.
Then, a heavy hatch in the container wall slid open. The barrel of a heavy machine gun poked out.
"Give me one reason not to turn you into mist," a gravelly voice shouted from the shadows.
"Because you still owe me for the Bangkok Job, Jiro," Renji shouted back.
The gun hesitated. The hatch opened wider.
A short, stocky man with a cybernetic left eye and grease-stained overalls stepped out. He squinted at Renji.
"Renji? You look like hell."
"I feel worse," Renji said. "We need the bird, Jiro. Is she flyable?"
Jiro spat on the ground. "She's flyable. But she's ugly. And she ain't cheap."
The Hangar
Jiro led them inside the container fortress. It was a massive, hollowed-out hangar hidden beneath the piles of trash.
In the center, sitting on hydraulic jacks, was a vehicle.
It looked like a fighter jet that had been mated with a garbage truck. It was bulky, angular, and covered in mismatched armor plating. The engines were massive, bolted onto the frame with exposed wiring.
On the side, spray-painted in fading white letters, was the name: ICARUS.
"That," Kazuki said, staring at the monstrosity, "is going to fall apart."
"She's a sub-orbital cargo hauler," Jiro said defensively, patting the hull. "Modified with vertical thrusters. She can reach the stratosphere in three minutes. Whether the hull holds together... well, that's a gamble."
"We need to get to District 1," Aeva said, pointing to the floating castle in the distance. "Altitude 4,000 feet. Can it make the climb?"
"Make the climb? Sure," Jiro laughed. "But the Helix has anti-air cannons. You'll be a slow, fat target."
"We have a plan for that," Renji said. He turned to Kazuki.
"Get on the ship."
"Wait," Jiro interrupted, crossing his arms. "Fuel. This beast drinks Liquid Hydrogen. I'm empty."
Renji looked at Kazuki. specifically at the glowing blue circle on his chest.
"We don't need hydrogen," Renji said. "We have the Core."
Kazuki stepped back. "Whoa. You want to plug me into the ship?"
"It's the only way," Renji explained. "The Icarus needs massive power to break the anti-air jamming field. Your suit generates infinite energy. You are the battery."
Jiro's cybernetic eye whirred as he scanned Kazuki. "A Velocity Core? I thought those were myths. Kid, if you interface with this junk heap and I miscalculated the voltage... you'll fry. You'll become a human lightbulb."
"I trust you, Jiro," Renji said. "Hook him up."
Inside the Icarus — 10 Minutes Later
The cockpit was cramped. Renji sat in the pilot's seat, flicking switches. Aeva manned the co-pilot/electronic warfare station.
Kazuki wasn't in a seat. He was in the rear engine room, strapped into a harness. Heavy cables were magnetic-locked to his chest piece, huming with power.
"Connection established," Aeva's voice came over the comms. "Kazuki, listen to me. When I say 'Ignite,' you need to push energy into the cables. Just like running, but... standing still."
"I feel like a AA battery," Kazuki grumbled.
"Renji," Jiro's voice came from the ground radio. "I'm opening the roof. You have a clear sky. Try not to scratch the paint."
Above them, the camouflage netting and trash piles parted, revealing the grey morning sky. And the ominously floating Helix Castle.
"Engine check," Renji said calmly. "Kazuki. Give me 10%."
Kazuki focused. The blue veins on his suit lit up. He pushed the energy outward.
VROOOOOM.
The massive thrusters of the Icarus roared to life. The ship shuddered violently.
"Output stable," Aeva reported. "Shields coming online."
Renji gripped the flight stick. "Alright. One way trip. Everyone hold onto something."
He punched the throttle.
"Kazuki! Full burn!"
"GRAAAH!" Kazuki screamed as the suit surged.
The Icarus didn't lift off gracefully. It launched.
It shot out of the junk pile like a bullet, crushing the ground beneath it.
The Sky — Altitude 2,000 Feet
They were screaming through the clouds. The G-force was crushing.
"Target in sight!" Renji yelled. "The Castle!"
The floating fortress loomed ahead. It was surrounded by a shimmering purple forcefield.
And it saw them.
[WARNING: MISSILE LOCK DETECTED.]
From the castle battlements, a swarm of black missiles launched, leaving trails of smoke.
"Evasive maneuvers!" Aeva shouted.
Renji banked the heavy ship hard to the left. The metal groaned.
"She steers like a brick!" Renji fought the controls.
Two missiles flew past them.
But a third one locked on.
"It's tracking the heat signature!" Renji yelled. "Kazuki! I need more power to the rear shields! divert everything!"
"I'm trying!" Kazuki yelled from the engine room. "It's draining me!"
The missile closed in.
500 yards.
200 yards.
"Renji!" Aeva screamed.
Renji didn't panic. He did something insane.
He killed the engines.
The Icarus dropped like a stone, falling out of the sky.
The missile flew right over them, unable to correct its turn in time. It exploded harmlessly in the clouds.
"Restart! Restart!" Renji shouted.
"Kazuki! Hit it!" Aeva commanded.
Kazuki roared, pouring everything he had into the cables. The suit felt like it was boiling.
BOOM.
The engines re-ignited. Renji pulled up, leveling the ship just 500 feet below the floating castle.
"We're in the blind spot!" Renji said, sweat dripping down his face. "Directly underneath the base. They can't shoot down through their own floor."
They hovered beneath the massive, jagged rock foundation of the floating fortress. It hung over the city like a moon.
"Now what?" Kazuki asked, panting.
"Now," Renji said, unbuckling his harness. "We climb."
[To Be Continued…]