Day 8 Intro Post
Kamare, being outside of the plane, has the best view of the horror as it happens. Despite all the forces directed against it, the sheer weight and momentum of the Nothing is not deflected nor does it seem damaged. It’s a collision of two giants doing over two hundred miles an hour each. Kamare can see the outward changes in BB-157 as it goes from an old prop plane to something more space worthy and none too soon. The nose of the Nothing smashes into the front right side of Bertha's nose, and while there appears to be some kind of reinforcement on Bertha's side, the hull still crumples inward with a sickening crunch and the cry of warping metal. Bertha is made to spin from the impact, its right wing snapping forward to slash into the left wing of the Nothing. The durability of the dark bomber results in Bertha's right outer engine to crumple as it smashes into the other plane.
At that point the Nothing sails by to leave Bertha spinning like a Frisbee. The nothing is gone too fast for the folks on Bertha to see the markings on the other plane, but by her cries Bertha seems to know who the other plane is. Kamare can see the number on the tail: BB-158. The nose art, somehow intact after the impact, is another timber wolf and the name 'Double Trouble'. Bertha makes two full flips around before the left engines scream as they try to stop the spin, the leftmost engine finally succumbing under the strain, but Bertha levels out. She has but one engine left, and it is a miracle that it is still keeping her in the air.
But what of those inside BB-157? Good fortune would have it that Kamare's exit earlier brought Glory to the tail gunner position. Had that not happened, she would have been crushed during the impact. Everyone inside finds themselves smashed and bounced about, but there is something going on inside that buffers the impact like a guardian force protecting them. Even so, Mic is unable to hold the controls during the impact, and he is smashed between his seat the controls when Bertha is driven into the back of his seat. Elandra is lucky enough to land on a wall of timber wolf instead of steel and is spared broken bones and gets by with only bruises. Myre and Glory are lucky in having little room to move at their positions. Morti, Tavi, and Regan all end up smacking into one side of the aircraft. It should have hurt a lot more, but this is not the real world and there is more at work here. As the plane levels out, it becomes quite clear that Mic is not steering the plane, Bertha has completely broken down with heartache, and Nate is struggling to move and replace broken fuses and do patch work.
Glory comes up from behind to check on everyone, and when she sees everyone is still here, she helps Mic in caring for Bertha. So who is left?
Ratatoskr is still wired into the engineering console. She is also latched on with her paws as tightly as she can manage. Something bright blue and metallic smelling is dripping from her side. A gash in her side, her nose bloodied, and of her four wings, three look broken at various points. Despite her wounds, she looks aggressive if not outright hostile, and it will not take much imagination to realize she has completely taken over the aircraft. She is piloting, managing compensation for the damage, and even controlling the guns.
What of the Nothing that struck you? Those inside would have felt it just before impact. There was no malice in it. It is, in fact, the deep, painful emptiness if carries that is why it is dangerous. Its cry, a tone that reaches deep into the heart was not a battlecry but a plea. Damaged and weak as well, the Nothing has sailed past and has not regained altitude, but it does still fly parallel a few thousand feet below. For most, the sound makes the heart ache even from down there. For Bertha, it is torture.
The Fear of Death is crippled behind you in a webs and roses and its armies are trapped by two more Nothings. Darkness itself is getting out of this area before it gets killed in this most dangerous of places for its kind. You're flying on one engine and trailing smoke that might as well be blood in the air. There is a Nothing flying a long ways down below you and is not advancing on you. You are otherwise alone in the air now. The radio I still working to allow you to call out. Where will you go? What will you do?
Tonight's Opening Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZo7TsFIQdw