CHAPTER 139 – FIFTY-TWO BOOSTERS
HIRAYA MISTELTEIN
The incessant drone of the Windwalker Airship's AI broke the tense silence. "Error. Cannot Initiate Fast Travel." The voice, mechanical and indifferent, repeated the warning, underscoring our predicament with each iteration. We had been trying, unsuccessfully, to command the airship toward the Empire’s Sanctuary, only to be met with the same frustrating refusal.
Night had enveloped Kraghelm in its quiet embrace, the clock having long struck midnight. A heavy blanket of uncertainty settled over us as we grappled with our immobility. Time was slipping through our fingers like sand; each moment that passed drew the Republic of Dragons closer to the Empire of Alterra, their invasion almost certain to succeed without our intervention. Eva, I was sure, was plotting the downfall of the empire even now.
In the guts of the Windwalker, the dwarves were hunched over panels and scrolls, their brows furrowed in concentration. They pored over magical algorithms and ancient formulas, the glow of their tools casting eerie shadows on their determined faces. Charlotte, Darlix, and Earvin were equally engrossed, the latter waving his hands in intricate patterns as he tried to sense any magical anomalies within the ship's structure.
A dwarf, grease-stained and weary, approached me. “The Fast Travel software might be compromised by a debuff formula spell," he speculated, his voice laced with uncertainty. "This airship's technology is top-tier; even we aren't privy to how the Empire crafted the Fast Travel Spell. We can try to reverse-engineer it, but it’ll take fifteen hours at least.”
Fifteen hours we didn't have. I mustered a smile, apologetic yet firm. "We can't wait that long, I'm afraid. Is there no quicker alternative?"
The dwarf's shoulders slumped. "I don't know."
Returning to the bridge, I found Mariko, Gaeun, and Kate in a frenzy of activity. Buttons clicked and switches flipped under their urgent fingers as they scanned frequencies, desperate for a lifeline to the Empire. Kate, her expression a mix of hope and frustration, listened intently to the captain’s phone only to shake her head in dismay when our eyes met.
"Still no contact, Cap," Gaeun reported, her voice tinged with worry.
"It seems the connection here on Windwalker is intact. The problem must be on the other side." Mariko's conclusion only deepened my suspicions.
Arms crossed, I stared out into the dark expanse beyond the ship. The pieces were falling into place, each one a painful confirmation of our fears. Eva had indeed struck, crippling our Fast Travel and severing our communications in one fell swoop. All I could hope for now was that Madam Corasell could withstand the storm that was Eva and her machinations.
The dimly lit deck of the Windwalker was suddenly charged with an electric buzz of energy as Earvin and Darlix appeared, urgency written all over their faces. Earvin, spotting me, waved frantically. "Captain!"
I hurried over, my steps quickening with anticipation. "What's going on?"
Earvin beamed, elbowing the dwarven engineer beside him. "Darlix here has cooked up a bright idea."
Darlix, slightly abashed yet visibly excited, cleared his throat. "It might sound outlandish, but just hear me out." His eyes gleamed with a mixture of mischief and genius. "Instead of fixing the Fast Travel mechanism, why don’t we boost the ship’s speed with additional jet engines?"
Intrigue replaced the weight of dread that had settled over me. "Is that feasible?"
"It’s unorthodox," Darlix admitted, scratching his head. "It will increase the airship’s mass, but my plan includes jettisoning the spent engines en route." He spread his hands as if unveiling a grand design. "We have fifty-two jet engines back from our jet fighters in the carrier. If we mount them on Windwalker, we could slash our travel time to the Empire's Sanctuary down to just one hour."
Charlotte, who had been listening intently, couldn't hide her admiration, though it came out wrapped in her typical sardonic tone. "That’s quite the stroke of genius, especially for someone of your... stature." Her smirk softened the slight.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“Of course, anything for you my darling Charlotte.” Darlix winked.
I pondered Darlix's proposal, the wheels turning in my mind. The idea was radical, possibly even reckless, but the direness of our situation called for measures just as desperate. "Darlix, if you believe it can work, then let’s do it. Gather everyone you need and start the installations immediately."
As the crew mobilized with renewed vigor, the atmosphere shifted from despair to tentative hope. If this wild plan succeeded, we might just beat the odds stacked so heavily against us.
The energy on the deck soared as Captain Benjamin, flanked by his stalwart dwarven marines and engineers, stepped forward with a resolute expression. "We will help," he declared, his voice reverberating with commitment.
"We appreciate your help. Thank you for your assistance, Captain Benjamin." I replied, relief flooding through me as I smiled genuinely, grateful for the reinforcement.
Captain Benjamin nodded solemnly, his eyes glinting with a mixture of pride and determination. "This is the least we could do for what you have done in liberating Kraghelm. We will be willing to lend you the entire aircraft carrier and all its jet engines and fuel for free." His offer was more than generous; it was a game-changer.
He then turned to his assembled dwarven force, raising his voice to rally them. “Okay, let’s go boys! Make this airship the fastest motherfucker in the entire planet!” His command was met with raucous cheers and the clang of tools being lifted in anticipation. The dwarves were ready, their spirits ignited by the challenge.
<><><>
The air around the Windwalker was electric, palpable with anticipation and the hum of new power as the airship, now transformed into an imposing behemoth of steel and energy, stood ready. With the fifty-two jet engines fitted snugly onto its structure, it resembled a war machine more than an airship, bristling with potential. Darlix's final checks echoed with a triumphant tone through the bridge.
"Upgrade is now complete, Captain Misteltein! Time to fire up this bad boy!" he announced, his voice booming over the intercom. "We have also loaded the Windwalker onto the Aircraft Carrier’s catapult system!"
I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm and the morale boost it gave everyone. "Well done!" I cheered. "ULYSSES, turn all radars and monitors. Rev the jet engines, and get ready for launch."
"Roger that, Captain Misteltein." The airship’s AI responded, its voice calm amidst the storm of preparations.
The bridge transformed into a command center from a sci-fi novel; screens lit up and the hologram globe materialized, showing our route from the edges of the known world. The speed we were about to undertake made the journey risky, but necessary.
From the communication panel, a dwarf’s voice initiated the final countdown. "Anti-G-Force Barrier, clear! 52 Jet Engines, clear! Catapult, clear! Standby for launch, Windwalker airship!"
Captain Benjamin's voice came through the radio, steady and solemn. “Good luck, Daybreaker Squad. We will give you Darlix Mctavish, I’m sure his skills will be put in good use. We wanted to join your war, but sadly, we do not have enough jet engines. We will rendezvous in two to three days.”
I replied with heartfelt gratitude, trying to encapsulate the enormity of their sacrifice and assistance. "You have already helped us enough, Captain Benjamin. Thank you for your assistance. We will make do with all the cards we’ve been dealt with."
“Godspeed.” His final word cut through, then silence as the communications were severed.
Steel filled my spine as the moment of truth approached. I slapped my cheeks, a physical wake-up call to brace for the intense ride ahead. Standing firm, I gave the order that would propel us into history or catastrophe. “Windwalker, Launch!”
The airship lurched forward with a ferocious roar, the world blurring as the jet engines screamed to life, propelling us at unimaginable speeds. The deck vibrated underfoot as we shot forward, racing against time and fate itself, our mission clear and the stakes higher than ever.
As the Windwalker Airship catapulted into the atmosphere, the world below us became a blur of changing landscapes—ocean, forest, mountain, and back to ocean—each terrain morphing into the next in rapid succession. Despite the extreme speed, inside the airship, it felt almost unnaturally calm, thanks to the anti-G-force barriers Gaeun and Earvin had skillfully erected around us. Their magic insulated us from the harsh reality of traveling at Mach 10, allowing us to focus on the mission at hand rather than the physics bending around us.
On the bridge, tension was palpable. Each member of the crew held their breath, watching the global radar as the Windwalker cut through the skies. We were moving at a breathtaking pace, but our minds were far ahead, on the events unfolding at the Empire’s Sanctuary. The old prophecy echoed in my thoughts, a chilling reminder from Lysander that the Sanctuary was destined to fall. My heart clung to the hope that today was not that day.
Suddenly, the calm was shattered by the airship's AI, its voice cutting sharply through the tense silence. “Incoming Transmission. Playing encrypted video playback.” The screen flickered and stabilized, revealing the familiar yet unexpected face of Johnny Wolvesbane, the Centurion.
The crew's surprise was visible, their eyes wide as they turned towards the screen. Johnny's image was grainy, but his voice was clear, urgent.
“This is Johnny Wolvesbane, the Centurion. I have stopped the advance of the Dragon Army using my Dragon Lord Commandment. I can only hold out for an hour or two. I will let you deal Gazelle and Eva yourselves. I wish you luck.” His message was brief, the implications vast.