Chapter II

"Are we really going to die for a stupid flag?" Ragnar roared over the increasingly violent screams of the dying transport as it battered its way though the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Metal screamed as bulkheads buckled and superstructure tore away. Unsecured luggage clattered around as the ship continued to try to shake itself to pieces. Annika gripped one of the stantions and avoided being thrown of her feet by a sudden violent jolt that banged her against the steel hull paneling. Paneling she noted, that was growing alarmingly hot. The several thousand tons of steel that made up the Encomienda's hull was a considerable heat sink, but compared to millions of tons of onrushing atmosphere, not considerable enough.

"You are welcome to run for the escape pod," Annika commented sourly, trying not to clutch too desperately at her Jumpgate medallion.

"Oh sure, considering only our noble master can trigger the launch," Logan Christopher replied. The thief was crouched in an agony of indecision, clearly torn between the desire to run for the sole remaining escape pod and wanting to stay close to Orion, the only practical agent of salvation.

"Can you use you arts to save us witch?" Ragnar asked. Annika smiled tightly.

"I can pray for your soul," she offered tersely.

"Pray?! That is the best you can do?" Ragnar snapped, carefully suppressed fear adding an acid edge to his voice.

"Well yoga lessons would be a little impractical at the moment," she returned. There was a resounding crash and a sudden rush of air as something ripped apart forward. The vibration, grew significantly worse and air roared through the compartment, thick with the stink of burning metal and cooking insulation.

"Yoga?" Orion shouted as he stumbled out of the cargo bay, clutching the ceramsteel case that contained the ancient banner the Duke had given to the knight back on Gwyenneth tucked under his arm. Sir Pentecost's surcoat appeared to be smouldering the rushing air igniting and snuffing the flames like a guttering flame. Snarling the knight ripped away the burning fabric tossing it away before the rushing air ripped it from his hand.

"Let's say we get out of here before the Kurgan come back and kill us all, or we smash into the planet?" Logan whined.