As fuel returned and power was at least partially restored to most of the Raven Talon’s core life-support systems, Erich was able to vent some cooling air to his sweat-soaked skin through his contained flightsuit. Unwilling to drift into any of the nearby pockets of explosive gases, his Rheinlandic engine meekly sputtered an idling green flame.
He took a moment to take an unfettered, wholly relaxing breath within a cockpit-tomb where to even breathe normally was just earlier a luxury, before resuming his communications to Carsten.
“I needed to disappear. I needed to look at myself in a mirror and not feel responsible for each life that I either took by pulling a trigger… Each spoken or written order that in many cases would be the last I offered to some damn poor soul.”
He rolled his stiff neck, blearily blinking with bloodshot eyes.
“They aren’t my people. I still consider myself theirs. But… But I’ve vanished. Told nobody where I am, where I’ve been, what I did. If you want to capitalize on the massive bounty… Well. I suppose I would rather the reward in your hands than in anyone else’s.”
He cut the communication briefly, taking a moment to swallow gingerly
“I wasn’t strong enough, Carsten. Your side won.”
