Interceptors

"Not much further," said Astra.

A volley of plasma bolts streaked past the ship and Astra yanked the controls, swerving to avoid being hit by the interceptor that was tailing them.

They were almost on top of the planet and the craft started buffeting with streaks of glowing gas flowing over the rims of the curved wings.

"I think we're entering the atmosphere!" said Stacy. "Is this safe? Are we going to burn up?"

"Maya," said Astra. "We could do with some help here." There was no response. "The accursed machine won't talk in our moment of need!"

"I think you muted it," said Stacy.

"Maya!" said Astra. "Activate! Engage." Still no response.

"Mute off," said Stacy.

"Mute disabled," said Maya.

"Finally," said Astra. "Give us some help. Are we going to burn up?"

"I see that you are performing an aero-brake maneuver. Would you like me to deploy heat shield?"

"YES!" said Stacy and Astra simultaneously.

"Deployed. Skin temperature is currently 612 degrees and is operating within normal parameters. Aero-braking maneuver will be successful."

The flames that engulfed the ship gave way to white fog. As they came out below the cloud layer they saw the vista of the lush green planet below them. Astra took them in lower and lower, still swerving this way and that trying to give the interceptor the slip but it doggedly kept on their tail, firing bolts of energy.

They were at ground level and Astra skimmed impossibly near the surface of a river with high banks flashing past them on both sides. The interceptor followed them but Astra suddenly hit the brakes and the interceptor flew past them. Then she gunned the engine and flew right at it. Stacy gripped her seat as Astra flipped the craft at the last moment, and there was clang as she nudged the interceptor with their left wing. The interceptor lost control and slammed into the the river bank, exploding is a ball of flame.

Astra grinned. "That got him!"

Stacy looked over her shoulder. "There are two more! They're coming in fast!"

Astra glanced back long enough to see them coming in side by side.

"Very well," she said, "watch this."

The engines whined as she went to maximum power. The river bed snaked from side to side and Astra tracked it's path expertly, the rocky outcroppings and huge trees that lined the bank whipping past at a frightening speed. The interceptors fired bolts of energy that roared past them and made the terrain ahead of them explode in balls of blue flame. She shot through the cloud of debris and out the other side.

The interceptors were close now and one fired again. This time there was a crash as one of the bolts glanced off the rear of the craft.

"Engine damage sustained," said Maya. "Shutdown in 13 seconds."

This didn't deter Astra and if anything she pushed harder on the throttle, travelling faster than ever. The river was getting narrower and interceptors were just too close together. They collided, losing control and spinning off and smashing into the treeline at incredible speed.

An alarm was sounding and the engines started to whine and fade.

"Engine shutdown imminent," said Maya.

Astra directed the craft towards the forest by the river and skidded to a bumpy halt through the dense vegetation and it eventually came to a rest under a large tree.

Astra turned to Stacy. "You see? I told you I was a fast learner."

Stacy smiled. "You sure are babe." she gently held Astra's head with both hands and gave a hard wet kiss on the lips.

"I see that you are having a make out session," said Maya. "Would you like me to play some mood music?"

Astra and Stacy looked into each others eyes. "Yes!" they said simultaneously.

1. A strange new world

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