Kora was standing on the poop. The sandstorm was looming larger than ever now to their left. She squinted towards it, in thought.
She didn't have any experience in desert regions.
Alex was nearby, strapping on the old flying tech. Sure, the Resistance had a lot of gear, but nothing compared to the Authority. Kora had seen the Authority's flying boards—advanced and pristine.
Alex was strapping on a board, like a snowboard, that could fly. Except this one was old and tattered. The board was worn. The Authority's flying boards used magnet power. They were smooth to fly. This one was old, powered by oil. It used magnet power to keep afloat, but not for navigation or motion. The magnet power simply held it in place, allowed it to hover and find its balance.
Alex strapped the board to her feet. In between her feet was a small gas tank and the ignition switch. Alex turned it on. It hummed to life, vibrating against the floorboards of the poop.
Alex smiled at Kora.
The board was controlled by a remote, which Alex held in her left hand, respectively, since she was left-handed. Kora had no experience with flying boards and neither did Alex.
Felix stood beside Kora.
"Don't fall on your face," Felix said awkwardly, perhaps trying to be funny and kind at the same time.
"Don't worry," said Alex, "I do this all the time."
"And I wash my hair everyday," Felix said sarcastically, but then looked to Kora who shook her head. Felix shrugged.
A strong gust of wind hit the side of the ship. The sandstorm looked to be coming in even faster. Kora's heart-rate ticked up just a little. The sandstorm extended from the floor of the endless desert sands up to the thin and scattered ultra-white clouds. If it reached them, they wouldn't be able to ascend over the top of it because they could only fly within the realm of the planet's polarity for the magnet engine on the ship to work.
Magnet engine.
Kora realized she should cover it with a few tarps. Was likely they were going to be hit by this sandstorm. A mass of sand was picking up from the desert floor, getting sucked into the pillaring storm. She realized that this whole region, or at least for miles around, was about to get turned up.
She saw Scarlet across the way, on the opposite end of the ship, looking at her. Kora had an ominous feeling, like something very bad was going to happen.
Alex hovered a foot above the deck.
She hit the gas. The motor revved up. Flames kicked out the back of the board, accompanied by sparks. Alex launched away from the poop deck, past the end of the ship. "Whoooooo!" she screamed. Felix watched with rapt attention. "So cool," he said. Teeth showing behind a cheeky smile.
But Kora was distracted.