The Price of Sight

[jammi]

One hour earlier

This is Cadiz control Raiders Gold wing, all pilots report to the hangers, I repeat, Raiders Gold wing, all pilots report to the hanger! The tannoy had been calling us for the last two minutes. I had been sitting in Cadizs pilots bar with Custo Benitez, an Elder of his noble Familia.

I had known him since we were children, but there our paths had split. My eyes had stopped me from joining him as a raider among the stars, taking what the Corsair Empire needed and burning what it didnt. I had been relegated to a supply freighter, moving supplies between the bases on the fringes of the Empires territory. It wasnt glamorous, but I was serving. Serving the people of Crete in the only way I could.

That had changed a month ago. Custo had pulled strings, cashed in favours and greased palms for my birthday. Hed had me deliver a load of Artefacts to the Hogosha in Kusari, under the pretences of improving relations between them and the Familia. Of course itd been a trick and I got my eyes fixed by a Kusari specialist, which then qualified me to fly as a fighter pilot.

On the return home, hed greeted me with a smile and a set of keys. A Titan courtesy of a certain Corsair Familia whod valued my service over the last few years. And now I was a pilot in Raiders Gold wing... A notorious outfit based from Cadiz. I was due to head out on my first attack.

Custo had given me some advice follow the wing leaders commands, trust my instincts not my sensors and above all to elate in the destruction of the Corsairs enemies. Then we were in the hangers. Six Titans were arranged around the cave, fuel lines attached to their flanks like obese leeches. Deck crews were stowing munitions, ready for the fight.

Then we had been told how we would attack by Jose Mendez, the wing leader and a proven Ace with an almost uncountable number of kills to his name. The left side of his face was a patchwork of scars where, supposedly, his Titans sensor readout had imploded inwards after an unlucky mine strike. I got the impression he didnt entirely trust me.

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