She glanced to it, her step slowing a fraction, before continuing on towards an Avenger strike fighter at the hangar’s rear. It looked a similar design to the Lightning, though the turbofans were located further along the wing, and a multi-barrelled Avenger bolt cannon was slung beneath the nose. Most notably, it had a rear-mounted cockpit, and the capacity to carry two personnel.

‘Is this it?’ I asked.

Shard didn’t reply. Instead, she seized Iwazar. The surprised seer-skull barely had time to bleep in alarm before she’d twisted it about and rammed it into the modified hard point beneath the Avenger’s wing.

‘What are you–’ I began, but she shushed me with a hiss.

‘Quiet,’ she said. ‘We don’t want to attract attention.’

‘Why? And what the hell did you just do? Did Plient show you how to do that?’

‘Sure,’ she replied, barely hesitating. ‘Now get in.’

‘Am I to be in the rear carriage?’

‘Unless you feel like flying?’

With her help I clumsily scaled the craft, clambering into the cockpit while Shard attended to the hangar doors. The flight harness was snug, though a shade more familiar now. I glanced to the control panel, oblivious to the dials’ functions. A heavy stubber was mounted on the craft’s rear, presumably to fend off enemy fighters. I hoped Shard would not rely on me to fire it.

My back was to the entrance, but I heard the doors creak open, and felt the weight shift as Shard vaulted onto the craft. There were distant cries as well, but they were soon drowned out by the roar of the twin turbofans.

‘What is it? What are they shouting?’

‘Do not give it a thought,’ Shard said through the internal vox. ‘Once we have tamed the storm it will not matter.’

I synced with Iwazar. Through its eye, I could see figures waving their arms, intent on blocking our passage. Shard gunned the engines. The Avenger sped forward, heedless of their presence. At the last moment the ground crew flung themselves aside, the craft racing from the hangar, accelerating all the while.

‘What are you doing?’ I screamed, my voice barely carrying over the turbofans. ‘Do we have authorisation to fly?’

‘Of course not. Why do you think we were sneaking around?’

‘But… what will they do? Shoot us down?’

‘With what? We have not yet been resupplied from the ork raid. Most of the Hydra flak batteries could not fire if they wanted to. Besides, this is the sort of thing a maverick fighter ace does. And all that really matters is results.’

I tried to respond, but she cut the vox. I watched the grounds disappear as we soared into darkness. For an instant I wondered if the seer-skull was wired into the craft in the same manner as Hephaestus. Could I somehow override Shard, seize control of the vessel?