HORIZON: The Fall

Chapter Eight - The Depths (1)

LOCATION: THE GLASS CLIFFS (DEFIANT, REGAL SYSTEM)

"Now, as you all know, flying a shuttle is very different from flying a fighter."

We were all standing on the landing pad, Maria instructing from beside her modified fighter. Off to the side, several shuttles and fighters lay dormant, awaiting our arrival. The cool ocean breeze drifted over us, and I could see palm trees on the beach waving in the breeze. The sky was a beautiful blue, gulls soaring above.

"For instance, whilst flying a shuttle, you can't use the more extreme maneuvers" – she shot me a playful glare – "because you must keep your cargo in mind, which in most cases, will be people."

We all nodded agreement, and she continued, "So, today we will be practicing these maneuvers, through a method I like to call 'Active Learning.' For the first half of the session, half of you will be piloting the shuttles, trying to evade the fighters, while the other half will be in the fighters, attempting to get a lock on the shuttles. In the last half, you will switch. However, the shuttle pilots need to do simple maneuvers, as each time you do something extreme, I will give the other team a point." She glanced at me, quirking a brow, before she carried on, "If you get a lock, your team gets a point." With that, she clapped her hands together. "Let's get started."

We all put our flight helmets on and ran towards our vehicles. I was assigned to the team who started in shuttles so I choose a shuttle and hopped in. Fun fact – shuttles are not fun to fly in. Once it was my turn for takeoff, I flipped on the VTOL thrusters and briskly left the landing pad.

"Phantom Squad, form up on me as soon as you take off," I ordered over the coms.

As I waited for my squad, I studied the shuttle I was in. It was obviously a Verdin–Class, which was on the smaller end for shuttles. It was generally used as a small transport for the fleet's corvettes and other smaller capital ships. Despite its size, it still had the same maneuverability and speed of other shuttles. Which means a brick could maneuver better.

"Morning, Freddy, isn't it a lovely day to get shot down?" Callia quipped over the radio as she pulled up from behind me, waving from her cockpit. Sarcasm leaked into her voice.

"Have hope, Callia," I scolded, wrinkling my nose at her snide remark.

"Listen, I am a fighter pilot, not a freaking bricklayer!"

"Hey, Cap, I think this is the one aircraft I can actually fly!" Murus announced, forming up with us as we circled the Glass Cliffs.

"Of course it is," Callia sighed.

"Attention, trainees! Your engagement begins... now!" Maria said over the radio.

"For the last time, I am not getting married!" Callia snapped suddenly.

"I don't think that's what she meant, Callia...," Murus murmured, amusement curling around his words.

Callia just sighed over the radio. A score counter appeared on the screen, our team shown in blue and theirs in red. Immediately, a red dot appeared on our radar, and it was closing in quick.

"Break formation and swarm him," I commanded.

We all flew in separate directions. I could see the lone fighter flying towards Murus, easily gaining on him. "Shit, he's getting a lock on me," Murus hissed over the radio.

"What can we – " I started.

"Don't worry, Freddy my boy," Callia interrupted. "I got this."

I saw Murus's shuttle desperately trying to shake the enemy pilot, but he was careful not to rile up the "passengers" of his shuttle. Suddenly, out of the blue, Callia's shuttle dipped into a nosedive from above to give Murus the chance to escape. As she dove, the enemy team gained another point because of her risky maneuver. With his prey out of sight, the enemy pilot decided to focus on the next easy target.