Chapter 12: Activation

On Captain Alex's command, Angel's fingers ticked out the sequence that would fire the burners at full. The roar was muffled through the hull, but still loud enough to give a start to even the most seasoned crew member. Laurence was the exception in that his experience with flight was limited to commuter ships and simulations. Inside the engine room the primary engine burst into chemical-combusted life. The turbine, though muted by its casing, whined loudly. Most people would find the noise unbearable, but to Laurence it might as well have been angels singing. He could tell by the pitch and vibration that the engine was operating perfectly, which was proven half a moment later when the energy plume released through the external thrust funnels shoved against the launch panels. From there physics took over, and The William's Hunt burst out of the warehouse at launch velocity.