Quinn was too far away to see the way her words effected Roaki, but the silence was enough. The other girl grumbled over the comms, then scoffed. 

“[color=ec008c]Don’t think you’re gonna be doing much talking,[/color]” she said. The cruel grin was almost audible. “[color=ec008c]But you’ll scream plenty.[/color]”

Above them, like a hundred holes poked into the sky, there hovered a swarm of drones. Some were doubtlessly from the camps, but most had been sent by news organizations. Casobani, Helburkan, Runan, likely even Euseran. This duel had stretched on for days, three pilots dead, with one more to follow. It was impossible for Quinn to know if the people of Casoban were aware of how new she was, but it was likely, and right now they must have been wondering why their Ministers hadn’t taken Eusero’s aid. Eusero as well must have been watching with a mix of dread and, perhaps for some, a sense of schadenfreude. [i]They[/i] should [i]have taken the hand. Now they drown for it.[/i]

But if she thought back, thought about the Board, and the Prime Minister, and the Euseran higher-ups, Quinn would know that in the grand scheme, the only true loser was Runa. That Eusero was waiting, circling above the carrion of this field, ready to pull Casoban onto its deck, and let Runa struggle and sink until they took the hand as well. 

On the smaller scale, on the one that faced her now, she and Roaki Tormont were playing a game with no winners. If she meant to change that, first, she’d have to survive it. 

A beep in the comms, Besca’s voice in her ear. 

“[color=gray]Time to roll, hun.[/color]”

Across from her, Roaki dashed for the cockpit. Quinn could hear a brief, discomforted straining in the [i]Pilots[/i] channel, and moments later, [i]Blotklau[/i] shuddered awake.