Ren pointedly kept the X11's three turrets pointed at the Titan at all times, though she didn't fire. "Katashi...?"
"If we see a chance to run, we take it. But as long as he sticks right behind us, there's not much we can do."
"You're just going to let him kill us?"
"No...but if we try to run now, he'll get us for sure. Keep an eye out, and be ready. If an opportunity comes, we'll only have seconds to act. If we pass the Freeport in Tau-29, we might be able to dock there - or even run to Baffin. An entire system that's a no-fire zone...it'd be a feeding frenzy on him if he violated it to get us."
He guided the battered shuttle through Gallia, keeping a close eye out for Council patrols he might be able to contact. The Corsair obviously knew their usual patrol paths, however, and kept them clear. This strategy worked all the way to the minefield to Orkney, when their console comm speaker came to life again.
"You will ignore all hails from the Council stations," their assailent ordered. "They won't like it, but they won't come after us. And if they do, I will destroy you before attacking the Council ships. Remain in cruise. If I think you're trying to contact the Council or delay our passage, I will kill you both."
* * * * *
Only a quarter-hour later, they were in Orkney, and Reunion was out of sensor range. But instead of guiding them toward the Tau-23 jump hole, the still-nameless Corsair ordered them "south", towards a point in space just beyond the range of the Outcast patrols from Kirkwall. A quartet of Gaian Eagles greeted them, and escorted them to an unmapped jump hole...the defenses on the other side were fairly impressive. Fully half a dozen weapons platforms, and more Eagles, all Gaian.
It wasn't a large system, however, and largely featureless. They passed a station in orbit above a lone planet, and soon reached another jumphole, also guarded by weapons platforms. After the jump, their nav computer finally recognized the surrounding space: they were in Edinburgh. Katashi and Ren both suited up, beginning to think it would be for the last time. The Eagles broke off, and it was just the Titan and the X11.
A short cruise brought them to the blue ice cloud that contained Islay Base, where the Corsair ordered them to cut their engines. "This is it," he informed them. "This is were justice will be done. This ice would freeze the blood in your veins, but today, it will wash the blood from my hands, for your deaths are well-deserved. Because I am honorable, I will give you exactly one minute to make peace with whatever heathen gods you worship." Pilot and gunner looked at each other through their suit helmets, and held the hand of the other. There were no words for this situation, which was just as well, because none were needed.
They'd sat in silence for only fifteen seconds when the Titan in front of them was rocked by a torpedo detonation that drained its shields. "What treachery is this?" the Corsair roared over the local channel as he went to full throttle, pitching and yawing to find what'd shot at him.
He was answered by a voice the pair in the X11 remembered from that awful day in Islay. "You tricked me, you thieving, murderous bastard!" A lone Falcon heavy fighter flashed past the Titan, photon cannons firing wildly. Over a private channel, she urged Katashi and Ren: "RUN! Tau-31 hole to the west - I'll keep him busy!"
Due to the torpedo hit that drained his shields, the Corsair couldn't ignore the fighter as he'd told Katashi he would. As their cruise engines charged, the only disruptor shot he got off hit an asteroid instead - the X11 got away clean as the Falcon and Titan made passes at each other in the blue rocks just out of sensor range from Islay. Once in Tau-31, they laid in a course for the Tau-29 jump gate, and the safety of Freeport 6.
