Steven Diggs Jr.

Thruster Problems 2

    The logo became bigger and bigger. “Get the hell out of there,” Aiko said. Obviously, that’s what Michio was doing.  The green lights flickered across his helmet. The air thickened as the hatch closed.
    “Come on,” Michio said as he stared at the display for the thrusters. Everything seemed okay. The Tenryu now has him completely in his sight as the sun was blocked by their massive bodies. Steel arms larger than Michio’s machine are visible. If they got any closer, he’d be turned into scrap.
    “Halt,” a deep voice came from one of the Tenryu. The voice was a manufactured voice designed to intimidate. Michio’s heard this broodish voice before when he tried to attack a power plant overrun with Tenryu. The voices scared him, but he soldiered on. Not for long though, as he was shot at by a Tenryu rupturing the main hydraulic valve for the right leg.
    “Hurry,” Aiko said again. She said a lot more than that, but Michio was too worried about being crushed into toaster. Suddenly, Aiko’s voice became mute. It was the thrusters starting up.
    “Thank god,” Michio said. Louder and louder, the Haruna’s thrusters started shaking the pilot inside his carriage. A flash of light floods his view as the thrusters hit their max level.
    “Stop,” a Tenryu said as Michio’s much faster Haruna flew away. That was the big advantage he had over the Tenryu. No extra weight and a much smaller frame allowed the Haruna to flip and spin its way around in the air like a dragonfly.
    “There’s no catching me,” Michio said. Large afterburners, with about as much of a smoke tail as a spaceship, trail the Tenryu. Their large bodies though keep them from getting near the Haruna.
    “Thank god they worked this time,” Aiko said. She continued, “If they didn’t you would be dead now.” Shaking his head, Michio just wants to get home to have some warm sake.