Mancer's Fighters
Earth - 2013, Tuesday
The Cast
Flight Commander Armoury, Flight Commander Lampard, Captain Rapha, Prince Ventar, Maot
Flight Commander Armoury reported back to Rapha. ‘No sign of the sphere, sir, but we have picked up two Vercetian signatures at the stop they made forty miles back.’
‘Send Lampard down to investigate, Commander, and you keep an eye out for any signs of the sphere.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Flight Commander Lampard landed his 3W fighter on the African plain, a hundred feet from the two figures trudging north. He jumped out of the cockpit and loped over to them. An adult female and an adolescent male. The woman was brandishing a weapon that the boy immediately took from her and threw to one side. He could make out a dust plume from a land vehicle heading for them—probably still two to three miles away.
‘Names please?’ he snapped. Not trying to frighten them, but conscious of the vehicle heading towards them.
‘Prince Ventar of Verceti,’ the Prince said, taking charge. ‘And this is my mother, Maot.’
Lampard spoke quickly and excitedly into his lapel communicator. The reply was instant.
‘Come with me now.’ Lampard had his weapon in his hand. Ventar stepped forward obediently.
‘You have to take me as well,’ said Maot.
‘I can’t,’ he replied, feeling a certain guilt. ‘There are only two seats.’
‘But you don’t understand,’ Maot pleaded, ‘I’m a Tr..’
‘Mother!’ Ventar shouted.
She stared at him, eyes wide and begging.
His voice softened. ‘I’ll be all right, Mother. Kobios will be with you in a couple of minutes. I must do this.’ He smiled at her and silently said, ‘I love you.’
They boarded the fighter and lifted off just as the Earth vehicle arrived.
‘Have you got the Prince?’ asked Rapha.
‘Yes.’
‘Then get back here, immediately,’ he said. ‘You too, Armoury.’
‘Understood.’