Inside the Dragon Chamber

Peter

"Respectfully, ma'am," I began, "I really can't leave her."

"Then drag her along! Are you stupid or something, boy?"

Peter

I clenched my jaw a little before relaxing again.

"Once again with all due respect, I can't afford for her to get shot or caught in an explosion, either."

"I can't afford to let lots of people get shot or blown up, but that's probably what's going to happen to them." The woman clenched her teeth. "Look, do you see this epaulette? Do you see this quarter-cloak? Do I look like a private to you?"
Her uniform was similar to Giref's but with a deep crimson cloak instead of charcoal grey. "You should be thinking the words 'lieutenant-captain' right now. Or possibly the words 'oh shit, I fucked up', because if I hear any more manly whining out of you I will shoot the pair of you now and have done with it."

Peter

Well, I'd run out of excuses that didn't have to do with universal travel.

"There's a hell of a lot more at stake than just this one city, and she's integral to saving countless more lives than the ones here!" The bottom of my robe caught fire; I glared at it. "Son of a..."

"Do you think I believe you? Or care, for that matter? I have a job to do, and you are going to help me do it."

Peter

"I'm sorry, but I also have a job to do."

I extinguished the fire with a thought, switched to wind, leaped up to the nearest roof, and started running again.

The woman held up a gauntleted hand and turned a small dial on the back. Grey lightning leapt from her palm, striking the rooftops nearby. "You won't get away!"

Peter

Oh for the love of the gods...!

It was like everyone was out to kill us. I was going as fast as I possibly could now, just praying the south gate was near.

The woman swore and spat on the ground, turning the lightning off and running for the nearest defensive tower. It was more important that the Kobatji ships were held at bay than two deserters were rounded up.

Peter

I saw a gate up ahead and almost felt weak with relief. This was it... We were so close now... I jumped down from the roof, but I had to slow my pace again. My lungs and throat were burning from all this sprinting.

There were several soldiers standing in the gateway and considerably more arrayed along the wall. Many of them were crewing what looked like portable lightning cannons turned towards the skies.

It soon became clear what the were aiming for as a group of humanoid figures with great, bat-like wings soared past low overhead, raining a hail of bullets down on the soldiers below. Lightning leapt from the wall, striking down some of the Kobatji assault gliders.

Peter

Oh you have got to be shitting me.

For the second time, I skidded to a stop.

Sarah, I thought, forget what I said about not using your powers. I want you to turn invisible and get out of here. Get to safety, then signal for the others.

But what about y-- she protested.

Forget about me, now go! That's an order!

I set her down and heard her run away before trying to find some cover.

A squad of Kobatji assault gliders swooped low overhead again, a few of them using portable spotlights to illuminate the streets below. Several lights streaked over Peter, followed by some shouting in an unrecognisable language. The assault gliders banked around again, soaring down the street towards him.

Peter

My eyes widened, and I tried ducking into an alley. I couldn't keep this up much longer. As physically drained as I was already, the SED would be setting in any moment now, and I wasn't sure what I'd do then.

Five of the glider troops split off from the squad and landed several metres from his position, landing on all fours in a sort of crouch. The front one stood up first and called out to Peter. "You! Are you being the son of the Erestean nobleman?"

Peter

"Yes," I answered.

I really hoped this meant they weren't going to kill me. That wasn't exactly something I wanted to have happen.

"Very good," replied the apparent leader. "You are to be coming with us, now."

Peter

I stood up all the way, trying to ignore the dull ache that was starting to appear in my head. Okay...it seemed they weren't going to kill me after all, at least not yet. That was good.

Two of them grabbed him roughly and began trying to drag him towards the nearest building.

Peter

I let them take me, hoping whatever they were planning wasn't horrible. It wasn't like I had much of a choice anyway--but even if I had, I could've easily been killed here by something or someone else. I certainly couldn't fight anymore.

They led him to the top of a previously ransacked building, whereupon two of them began signalling with the spotlights. In moments, the nearest cruiser had sunk lower and opened a boarding ramp, lowering it down to the flat roof.
"Get in," commanded one of them, as the rest of them filed up the boarding ramp.

Peter

I did what they said.

I was worried about Sarah more than anything, to be honest. I didn't know how she was holding up, whether or not she'd made it to safety, whether or not she might pass out in the snow without having switched to fire first...

He was lead to the brig: a small, spartan room near the rear of the ship. Unlike the Norlan cells it was decorated with designs painted straight onto the walls. Mostly they consisted of spindly black trees with birds flitting between them and scenes of air combat above them.
"You are to be waiting here while we are fetching the captain."

Peter

Well, this was already better than the treatment I'd gotten from the Norlans. Maybe I'd get lucky and they'd just hold me here without actually doing anything for a while. If that was the case, I could rest up again and shift out when I was ready.