Ed’s fighter, Capital City, the Arena, Prasinos system
Ed had landed near the crater and searched in vain for any trace of his friend. Andy’s fighter was completely destroyed, almost completely vaporised in the explosion. He sat on the edge of the reservoir for a few minutes, cradling his rifle. A faint noise from across the road of what he thought sounded like badly timed church bells had him standing on extra alert for a moment. But nothing happened, so he shrugged, took a last look at the crater and went back to his ship.
He had the bit between his teeth now and spent considerable time roaming around, gradually moving back in towards where the other fighters were busy.
He hunted down and despatched dozens of bugs on the way. A strange thing he did notice, was they seemed to gradually lose all purpose. From firing back if they were armed and running and trying to hide, to becoming lethargic and just meandering around as if lost, making them much easier targets.
‘We’re on our way back out now,’ called one of the GDA fighters. ‘They say they’ve got things under control here now since the bugs became strangely passive. They’ve regained the use of their central control room, so they want us to go around and clear the hangar at the bottom of the elevators.’
‘Okay, roger that,’ Ed replied.
‘Isn’t Andy with you?’
‘No…his fighter was destroyed.’
‘Oh…did he get out?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘I’m sorry for the loss of your friend.’
‘Thank you,’ said Ed. ‘I need to go and inform the rest of my crew. I’ll follow you out.’
Ed had no idea what he was going to say to everyone, especially Rayl, who seemed to be becoming fond of him again. He fretted about it all the way out. He had to queue to use the airlock in the construction tunnel as the admiral was sending in a few hundred marines to aid Conor in clearing out the last of the bugs and bringing aid to the survivors.
When he eventually arrived back at the Gabriel, he landed his mini-me back on its cradle, glancing ruefully at the other empty one and sighed.
‘It so easily could’ve been me,’ he said as he climbed out and made his way to the bridge.
‘Welcome back, boss,’ said Phil, as he stepped off the tube lift. Everyone else smiled and waved as they concentrated on their individual screens.
‘Err…could I have everyone’s attention for a moment while we’re all together,’ he said, remaining standing. ‘I’m afraid I have some bad news.’
‘Hang on,’ said Linda, raising a hand. ‘Andy’s not here.’
‘Yes, I know,’ he said. ‘That’s what I wanted…’
‘Sorry to interrupt,’ said Andy, striding off the tube lift. ‘I had a little appointment with the autonurse.’
Ed stood and stared, his eyes wide and a complete look of shock on his face.
‘Sorry, Ed…carry on,’ Andy said, giving Rayl a grin and sliding into his couch. ‘Good to see you back by the way, from wherever it was you disappeared to.’
‘Me?…What the fuck are you, you doing here?’ was all Ed could get out in a bit of a stutter.
Andy returned a weird look.
‘Well…everyone’s gotta be somewhere!’ he said.
‘But you’re alive…I saw your ship…what, what was left of it.’
‘Ah, right…yeah,’ Andy replied, the grin disappearing. ‘I got a broken ankle though,’ he added hopefully, pointing at his foot.
‘A fucking broken ankle,’ Ed snapped. ‘I’ve spent the last two hours fretting over how I’m going to tell everyone here you’re fucking dead.’
‘We didn’t know you didn’t know,’ said Linda.
‘How did you get off the Arena?’ he asked, turning back to glare at Andy again.
‘Err…I jumped.’
‘In fucking what?’
‘A jumping jacket.’
‘Are you taking the piss?’
‘The queen gave it to me.’
‘A giant insect gave you a jacket that can fold space?’ he said, throwing his arms in the air. ‘D’you think I was born yesterday? D’you really think this is the time and the place for one of your wind-ups? Fuck’s sake.’
Ed kicked his couch as he stormed off and disappeared down on the tube lift.
There was a momentary pause on the bridge as everybody glanced around at each other.
‘I think Ed’s a bit pissed at me,’ said Andy, breaking the awkward silence and twiddling his thumbs nervously.
‘He’s pissed at all of us,’ said Linda. ‘He’ll get over it when he finds out what really happened.’
‘I’ll go and explain everything,’ said Pol, standing. ‘Don’t blame him…he was just really scared he’d lost a friend.’
She gave Andy’s shoulder a squeeze as she passed.
‘Just one question,’ said Andy. ‘What the hell’s that heap a shite in the port hangar?’
Linda glanced furtively at Phil.
‘You can tell him,’ she said, rolling her eyes.
Phil smiled, which made Andy suspicious because he didn’t normally do that.
‘Erm…it’s Ed’s new pride and joy,’ he said, pulling a pinched expression.
‘Did he buy it without seeing it or something?’
Phil sucked air in through clenched teeth.
‘I really wouldn’t be saying that to him,’ Phil replied.
‘Especially not at the moment,’ said Linda.
Rayl suddenly sat up straight and stared at her screen.
‘That’s what it meant!’ she blurted.
‘That’s what, what meant?’ asked Linda.
‘I think I know where the queen went,’ said Rayl, sitting back again.