"Clear Ether!"
"Omph!" Kenny and Anne gasped as the jet aircraft made the jump across the Gauntlet.
"Told you it stings," Kenny remarked.
"The werewolves do it without a hitch," Anne grumbled as she turned the Warthog skyward. "Think more shielding would help?"
"If you can shield against Paradox maybe," Kenny laughed.
"Working on it."
A normal A-10 Warthog is a single-seat, close support aircraft. This was not a normal Hog. Obtained surplus from the government, souped up with Etherite Science and armed with Glass Walker Garou missiles this was one bad-ass Creature Killer.
But unlike the other warcraft, this machine was built as a trainer.
With a bench seat.
"So how's it feel to fly the Ethereal?" Kenny asked.
Anne frowned. "I'm not used to this. It feels very different from the atmosphere. I used to think my flight experience would be helpful - but I'm going to have to unlearn some things."
"I guess my inexperience was actually an asset."
"You learn damn fast. Shall we go orbital?"
They rose high into the Ether. Metal petals blossomed in front of the engines, scooping more of the thinning atmosphere into the engines.
"Remember, don't let the turbines spin too slow or you'll get a real jolt when you switch to Etheric drive," Kenny said.
"Got it. Here we go."
The acceleration pushed them deep into the seat.
"Damn! That should have been smoother," Anne said between her teeth.
"I think we have a little more work to do on that," Kenny managed to squeak out from the depths of the seat. "Better ease up on the burn or we'll be on Io before supper."
"And us with only a picnic lunch."
Braking rockets maneuvered them into earth orbit. For several minutes the pair stared silently at the blue planet below them.
"So beautiful. Now I think I can understand how the Garou feel about the Earth," Anne said quietly. "At least a tiny bit."
"Nonsense," Kenny replied. "When it comes to devotion to the world we're just bathers at the beach. They're dolphins."
"I guess. Shall we dine?"
"Of course."
Kenny dug out the sandwiches. "You know, for all the time I spend with you, I never tire of your presence."
"Even when I call you on being a wise-ass?"
"Umm, you're good at it. Better than Amanda was. Coffee?"
"Of course."
She accepted the a squeeze bottle he handed her. "Just not the same without a good ceramic mug. You loved her deeply, didn't you?"
"Yes." He bit into the sandwich. Anne waited for him to chew and swallow. "But that's passed. Yourself?"
"Well I was engaged but we squabbled a lot. And he was of lower rank. And after I Awakened, well..."
"Never settle for less than what you truly deserve," Kenny replied airily as she bit into her sandwich. "Now, if I may ask, why did you leave the military?"
She chewed and quickly swallowed. "Man, if you think the 'don't talk don't tell' policy is rough for gays, being an Etherite in the military is worse. I felt like I was walking around in a closet all the time, ever fearful I might be discovered. You know the Technocracy has all kinds of feelers in the military."
"Most Scientists avoid going into the military. Why did you go?"
"Oh. I was Awakened while I was *in* the military."
"Really? And the Technocracy didn't get you? Now there's a tale I'd like to hear."
"Sure. I remember it distinctly. I'd just made a flight and was talking to my ground crew. I was concerned about some shaking I felt at a certain speed and we were trying to pin it down. Then it just struck me: the A-10 would be a perfect test bed for orbital insertion. The crew and I huddled in a room while I drew wildly the changes I wanted them to make. And I knew..." she tapped her head with her fist, "I knew it could be done! But they looked at me like I was some kind of lunatic. I felt feverish and decided to report to the infirmary."
"They removed me from the flight schedule and told me to take a week of medical leave. I took my drawings and got a hotel room in the local town. Spent three days searching the Internet and the local library for clues about how to turn the A-10 into a spacecraft. I was in the library near the end of the third day when an older woman came up to me. 'Young lady,' she said, 'next time you remove a book from this library I insist that you put it back where you found it. Now come with me and we'll have tea.'"
"You had tea with the librarian?" Kenny asked.
"No, I had tea with a Electrodyne Diva who was visiting her son who just so happened to be assigned to my base. My Awakening had pranged one of her monitors and she decided to track me down. A good thing too since I was teleporting books off the bookshelf and onto the desk where I was working."
He raised his eyebrow. "Got wrapped up in your work."
"So she sat me down, got me grounded and gave me a copy of Kitab al Alacir." She sighed. "It all made sense. And she got me connected with the network. By the time my week's leave was over I was stable and ready to fly again. I told my crew to forget the ravings of a feverish pilot and we all laughed about it. But I remember one officer who came through and studied me with particular intent. I think he was Technocrat."
"Hmmm. Makes sense."
"And I left because I did *not* want to get stuck in another phony war." She batted away the crumbs floating near her face. "So let me ask another personal question: how 'old fashioned' are you? Sexually that is."
He sat up straight. "Madam! I'll have you know that, unlike my foolish classmates, I refrained from sexual activity until Amanda and I were lawfully married."
"So you went to your marriage bed a virgin?" Anne grinned.
"Duh!" He took a squeeze of coffee. "Fortunately, Amanda had... prior knowledge."
Anne burst out laughing. "Of course she did! So, what is they say about Virtual Adepts is true?"
Kenny's face remained blank. "A gentleman never tells."
"Good man. I'm grateful. It's nice to be attracted to a man with good moral foundations."
"Attracted? You've been wanting to jump on my body nearly from the minute you met me." He grinned at her stunned look. "I may be old fashioned, but I'm not unaware of others ah... roving eyes."
"Oh yeah? Who pulled who down to the floor at the convention?"
"Would you rather your now-on particles be turned to past-on particles?" Kenny said dryly. "I'd be feeding you *baby food* now instead of chicken salad sandwiches."
"Well these are good sandwiches," Anne admitted.
"Picked it up from Jay."
"Jay? Your pet Technocrat?"
"No. Jay - my friend."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound..."
Kenny waved it away. "It's alright. Really. Jay's a nice guy. Misguided - but a nice guy." He turned to gaze out the window. "I miss him sometimes. He was good company."
He turned back and gave her a smile. "Just like you're good company."
"Ah." She nodded her head. "Well. Enough talking. Shall we move this basket out of the way and have some a little hugging and kissing?"
"A moment. Pass me a napkin?"
Back at the base Joshua studied the monitor. He watched Kenny lean towards the hidden camera. "No more show for today," Kenny said as he covered up the lens.
The audio link went dead also. "Damn!" the Ragabash muttered.