Everglow: The Trials Of Agaron

33 - Icarus

Tonner led the group down a wide hallway packed with crates and boxes. Nets that held up various objects like a spider's web littered the ceilings and walls and the whole room was painted a deep crimson. Along the sides of the room were racks loaded with missiles and weapons. Fischer couldn't help but gulp slightly when he saw the size of some of the guns. 

Tonner swiped his hand over a control panel at the end of the hall and the huge bulwark door slid open with a hiss. In front of the group sat an enormous hangar bay, at least twice the size of the one they arrived in. As they entered Fischer felt his jaw drop once again as the sheer scale of their surroundings was made apparent. The hanger was almost the same size as the one back on Xarder, just a bit smaller and way less organised. 

"This way. We're taking my ship," Tonner stated as they walked up a flight of stairs to a catwalk that ran along the side of the hangar and allowed access to the various space vessels. 

A few meters away to their left was the huge jet black vessel that Tonner was referring to. It had a very intimidating shape to it, the nose of the vehicle was angled to a point like a sharp pyramid. Just aft of the cockpit at the bottom was a pair of two stubby little wings. The vessel seemed to split after that, the cockpit and nose connected to the much bulkier main chassis via a sturdy chamber. The main body had two large swing wings atop the frame. The body tapered up to the tail almost like a transport helicopter and gave way to two large sets of tail wings. A huge cannon of some sort was mounted atop the main body and a smaller but still vicious looking railgun was housed beneath the nose. The whole craft looked like the offspring of a heavy duty helicopter and an F 117 Nighthawk. 

"Ahh. The Icarus. Haven't seen her for a while. She looks as beautiful as ever," Spatch whistled as they approached it.

"Don't get used to it. You won't be seeing her ever again after we're through," Tonner stated gruffly.

"You really need to find a hobby," the veranah jested.

Tonner answered with silence as he pulled out a small touch pad from one of his pouches. He fiddled around for a few moments before the pad turned a deep blue and a wavelength symbol appeared on it. 

"Tonner to Zecka. I've got some unfinished business to attend to. Will only take a a few days at most. While I'm gone, Akagi will remain in charge. She will follow your orders to a tee, as will I if the situation arises. I will be sure to keep in contact. Out."

He slipped the pad away and held his hand up to the pad on the door. The panels slid open and revealed a jet black interior with hints of crimson and pearly white dotted around the place. 

As they stepped in a wall of cool air rushed past them, a refreshing wake up considering how hot and muggy Tonner's quarters were. 

"You three. Dorms are at the rear, bar and fridge is down the hall to the left. Observation deck is down stairs," Tonner explained, pointing at the girls and Fischer. He flipped a large switch next to the door and all the lights suddenly faded on with a slight hum. Quin, Ko and Fischer all nodded and made their way down to where the bedrooms were.

Unlike the Endeavour  the Icarus's rooms were much larger, but there were less of them. Two rooms each with four beds in them 

The sound of Ko and Quin's claws quickly clacking across the polished metal floor as they walked echoed through the dark hallway. Ko's clenched fists shook with anxiousness as her knuckles softly bounced off one another. Quin didn't look like she was fairing much better either, her gaze rapidly shifting all over the place less there be any stowaways on board.

Noticing their discomfort, Fischer paused for a second. "Hey you two alright?"

Quin looked down at him with a sheepish smile on her snout. "Heh, y-yea. I'm good."