The Rusted Drake hummed quietly as it glided through the Aetherstreams, the soft glow of its engines casting faint light on the jagged walls of a fractured canyon. Jasrik Thorn sat slumped against the railing, his bionic arm resting limply on his lap. His breath was uneven, his head throbbed, and the weight of his arm felt heavier than ever. At least they were alive. For now.
Across the deck, Merrik Ironspire leaned against a bulkhead, arms crossed and a scowl that could've bent steel. The faint hum of the engines filled the silence until Merrik finally broke it.
"You want to tell me what that mess back there was about?" he asked, his tone sharp. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you almost got us killed."
Jas tilted his head back and let out a long breath. "It was a job," he said. "Same as always. Just… didn't go as planned."
"Didn't go as planned?" Merrik's voice rose. "You brought a damn bounty hunter onto my ship! And now we're flagged in Syndicate territory. That's not just 'not as planned,' Jas—that's a death sentence!"
Jas winced but didn't reply immediately. He flexed his bionic fingers, feeling the weight of the Havok Fragment embedded deep within the arm. The chaotic energy had settled, but its presence was a constant reminder of how close he'd come to losing control.
"They double-crossed me," Jas said finally, his voice low. "Syndicate enforcers pulled a knife on me after the deal. And that sniper? Just part of the fun."
Merrik exhaled sharply, his frustration barely contained. "You always bring trouble, Thorn. I knew it when I let you onboard. But this?" He gestured broadly to the ship, the faint scorch marks from the earlier firefight still visible. "This is a new low."
Jas straightened, meeting Merrik's glare. "You know what this life is," he said. "It's messy. It's dangerous. And if you're not ready for that, maybe you're in the wrong business."
Merrik grunted, his scowl deepening, but before he could retort, a sharp beep sounded from the cockpit. Both men froze.
"What now?" Merrik muttered, pushing off the bulkhead and striding toward the cockpit. Jas followed, his heart sinking.
Inside the cramped cockpit, the blinking comms panel bathed the room in an urgent red glow. Merrik flicked a switch, and the holographic projector sputtered to life, casting a faint, grainy image into the air.
A face appeared—a woman with sharp features, a shaved head, and an unmistakable insignia tattooed across her temple: the mark of the Ashen Church. Her expression was unreadable, but her piercing gaze seemed to bore directly into Jas.
"Jasrik Thorn," she said, her voice calm but laced with menace. "I believe you have something that belongs to us."
Jas stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The woman's lips curled into a faint smile. "You carry the taint of chaos. The Havok Fragment you wield… it is an affront to the Sovereigns. Surrender yourself, and perhaps your death will be swift."
Merrik turned to Jas, his face a mask of disbelief. "What the hell did you do?"
Jas ignored him, stepping closer to the comms panel. "Listen," he said, his tone carefully measured. "I don't know what you think I have, but I'm not interested in your crusade. You've got the wrong guy."
The woman's smile didn't falter. "You misunderstand. This is not a negotiation. The Ashen Church will purify you, Thorn, whether you submit willingly or not."
The transmission ended abruptly, leaving the cockpit eerily quiet.
"Purify?" Merrik said, his voice rising. "What does that mean?"
Jas ran a hand through his hair, muttering a curse under his breath. "It means we've got bigger problems than the Syndicate."
The ship shuddered suddenly, jolting both men as a low hum echoed through the hull. Merrik stumbled toward the control panel, scanning the instruments.
"They're here," he said, his voice tight. "A ship just dropped into the stream. They're trailing us."
Jas gritted his teeth, peering out the viewport. Sure enough, a sleek black skyship was closing the distance, its hull adorned with glowing runes and the unmistakable insignia of the Ashen Church. The faint glow of fragment-powered cannons lined its sides, already beginning to charge.
"How fast can we outrun them?" Jas asked, gripping the back of Merrik's chair.
Merrik snorted. "In this heap? Not fast enough."
The pursuing ship fired, and a bolt of green energy streaked toward them. Merrik yanked the controls, and the Rusted Drake dipped sharply, the blast skimming past the hull and exploding in the canyon wall ahead.
"Hold on!" Merrik shouted, jerking the ship into a series of evasive maneuvers. The Drake bucked and swerved, the Aetherstream's currents making every movement feel like a gamble.
Jas gripped the railing, his mind racing. They couldn't outrun the Church ship, and they couldn't outgun it either. He needed a plan—and fast.
As another blast rocked the ship, Jas's bionic arm sparked faintly, the Havok Fragment stirring. The chaotic energy pulsed in response to his desperation, a temptation he knew all too well.
"We don't have the firepower for this," Merrik growled, wrestling with the controls. "Unless you've got a miracle fragment stashed somewhere, we're screwed!"
Jas hesitated. He hated using the Havok Fragment—it was too unpredictable, too dangerous. But if they didn't fight back, they wouldn't live long enough for the fragment to corrupt him.
"Turn us around," Jas said suddenly.
Merrik blinked. "What?"
"Turn us around," Jas repeated, his voice firm. "Get me close enough to their ship, and I'll do the rest."
"That's insane," Merrik said. "You'll blow us both to hell!"
"Better than getting picked apart out here," Jas snapped. "Just trust me, Merrik."
The mechanic hesitated, his jaw tightening. Then, with a sharp nod, he yanked the controls, spinning the Rusted Drake around to face their pursuers. The Church ship loomed ahead, its cannons glowing ominously.
Jas stood at the hatch, gripping the railing as the Drake closed the distance. His bionic arm crackled with red and black sparks, the Havok Fragment roaring to life. He could feel the chaotic energy surging through him, each pulse more unstable than the last.
"Ready?" Merrik's voice crackled over the comms.
Jas smirked, though his heart pounded in his chest. "Nope."
The Drake banked sharply, skimming just above the Church ship's hull. Jas leapt from the hatch, his arm blazing with energy as he landed hard on the enemy deck. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, hurling several crew members off their feet.
The Fragment's power surged, threatening to consume him, but Jas focused on the task at hand. He sprinted toward the ship's main cannon, dodging incoming fire and striking down anyone who got in his way.
Reaching the cannon's control console, Jas slammed his bionic fist into it. The Havok Fragment's chaotic energy surged through the machinery, overloading it in seconds. Sparks flew, and the cannon erupted in a fiery explosion, rocking the entire ship.
Jas sprinted back toward the edge of the ship, his bionic arm glowing faintly as its power began to wane. He leapt back toward the Drake just as the Church ship shuddered and began to fall, its engines sputtering.
Merrik reached out, grabbing Jas by the collar and pulling him onboard. The Rusted Drake lurched away, speeding back into the Aetherstreams as the Church ship disappeared into the abyss below.
"Insane," Merrik muttered, shaking his head. "Absolutely insane."
Jas smirked, though exhaustion weighed heavy on him. "But it worked."
For now, at least.