so, come to me, we can change night into day (part XCVI)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part XCV.)

The Duke and Duchess watched missles launch from the platform.

"Hmm....Programming or spellcraft, you think?" She was trying to puzzle out the odd energy signatures she kept feeling.

"Spellcraft," the Duke said absently.

She watched as Hiro instructed Justine to observe the test site more closely, which she didn't think was wise, but she thought he knew what he was doing, surely. She took out a set of long-distance binoculars, fitted with carved amber spellglass lenses. She peered at the cloudless sky.

"Is it lost?"

Hiro looked down at his readings. "Says it detonated."

"Huh," the Duchess said. "In Krakenstorm?"

"Fissionable, but spell-enhanced," he murmured, and they both heard a scream over the comm.

"Justine?" the Duchess said, a heartbeat after the Duke, moving her head and scanning the sky. She saw no trace of her shuttle, but--wait--There. Zack's--medical transport? What--

Hiro hit the comm for wideband. "This is Gearhaven actual," he said. "Due to the aggression from--"

She covered his mouth, using her other hand to tap his comm off. He glared at her.

"You can't say that, Hiro. It wasn't--"

He pulled away. "It could have been!"

She gestured at the platform. "We were right here--"

She watched as another missle rocketed off the platform, striking a ship overhead. "It hit the Prometheus! Is it damaged?" She whirled to Hiro, who seemed unconcerned, murmuring into his data padd.

"Target Dark Sea," he said, and a string of coordinates. Another missle flew up, Emilly following with her binoculars.



She adjusted for distance. "Um...Hiro...that one's awfully close to the kittens..."

"Target Dark Sea Island," he murmured, and another string of numbers.

"Do you mean Darktow?" She flinched as there was a loud crack overhead, and night suddenly fell, thick and cloying. "WHY IS IT NIGHT--" she screamed, and with another loud crack, it cleared. She swayed, unnerved.

Hiro didn't seem to notice. "Not Darktow," he finally replied. "The Dark Sea lighthouse."

She nodded, rubbing her eyes.

"Commencing test--"

She stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "I think we've done enough testing."

He launched the last missile almost nonchalantly, and then nodded. "Want to go check on Justine?"

"We probably should."

Hiro shut the rest of the testing equipment down, and they moved to his flyer.

(Continued in part XCVII.)