War for Mobius

Act 1 Chapter 14

A Yawn comes, highly over emphasized through the radio system, Rotor to roll his eyes.

"Sonic," he groans, "Could you possibly maintain radio silence?"

"Think someone might be listening in, Rote?" the hedgehog's voice asks through the homemade radio system Rotor and Miles had put together.

"No," the walrus shakes his head even though Sonic wouldn't be able to see the gesture, "But your yawns every five minutes are really becoming annoying."

"Thank You," Princess Sally's voice crackles through the speakers.

"Ditto," Tails's voice joins in.

"Ee Two Tails?" Sonic mutters.

A small smile forms on Rotor's face, "That's not how you pronounce that Sonic."

"So?" the radio spurts Sonic's counter, "Ben isn't disagreeing with me how boring this is."

"Ben is only not disagreeing because his radio isn't working," the princess corrects, "He's unable to hear or respond to what we see over the wind."

The walrus back at Knothole leans back and puts his feet up on the desk. For the last…oh Rotor doesn't remember how long the away team has been out… it has been like this the whole time. The heroic hedgehog is getting antsy because he can't run around, which is starting to ruffle the fur of the other team members. To make things worse, poor Ben's headset has been out of commission the entire flight, not receiving or sending.

"Have to look at that next chance I get," Rotor says to nobody in particular. After a moment of silence, and quick glance around the room, he adds, "I'm talking to myself more and more every day…."

"What was that?" Tails's voice sparks through the radio, "We didn't catch that."

"Oh Nothing," The purple walrus brushes the question off, "Just wondering out loud."

No response comes back through.

"Tails? Sal? Sonic?" Rotor asks adjusting himself in the chair, returning his feet to floor, "Do you copy?"

Just static comes through.

Rotor holds his breath as he adjusts the dials on the radio box.

Still nothing, this isn't a good sign….

"Rotor? I said we didn't catch that, could you repeat?" the young fox calls into the mic.

"Yo Rote," Sonic does the same, "You still there buddy?"

There is only static as a reply.

"No go Sal," the hedgehog shrugs and shakes his head, "Can't get a hold of him."

"Looks like we're on our own then," the princess groans back.

"Should we head back then?" Tails asks.

Sally ponders it for a moment, but before she is able to answer the blue blur interrupts, "Negatory lil' buddy. We're flying bling up here. It wouldn't do us any good to turn around without Rotor to direct us."

"Yes but if we keep flying in this direction it may be even harder to make our way back," the chipmunk counters, "If we at least loop back we won't get too far lost."

"Not to disagree with you Sal," the blue hedgehog clearly disagrees, "But if we loop around and still can't get ahold of him, we'll end up overshooting, possibly even entering Robotnik's airspace."

"It is safer than flying straight into the unknown," she informs Sonic.

"Better decide soon," the two-tailed mobian interrupts, "We just hit the 1/4th mark on the fuel gage. We either land going forwards or land going back."

"I say we go for broke and keep pushing forwards," Sonic recommends. He watches the princess run her hand across her face.

"And what happens when we find ourselves flying over the water, or forest, or even mountain? How do you expect to land then?" She asks him.

Sonic taps his chin for a moment to think it over, "Good question, looks like you got me there. Guess we should head back."

"Thank you for your approval," the princess lets out a sigh of relief, but the hedgehog just shrugs it off.

He turns over to look towards Ben. The wolf is waving his hands wildly trying to get Sonic's attention, who just waves awkwardly as a response.

Ben glares at him momentarily and points as an answer. Sonic's eyes go wide.

"BADNIKS!" he shouts to Sally and Tails, "Flying high and coming from behind!"

"Have they spotted us?" the fox asks back.

As if to answer the fox's query, a zap from a buzzbomber's stinger shoots across the wings narrowly missing Ben and Sonic.

"Good chance that they did," Sonic hollers.

"Tails, drop us down," Sally commands, "We might be able to outrun them."

"We should stay and fight!" the hedgehog protests as Tails takes the Tornado downward.

"With what?" the princess demands.

"We don't have the fuel for fancy maneuvers either," the twin-tailed fox reminds him.

"Way past un-cool," the blue hedgehog groans. He looks back towards Ben who just shrugs.

"Easy Tails," the princess gulps as the biplane bumps in the air, "We need to be able to pull up."

More stinger fire pelts the tail of the Tornado, causing the whole plane to shudder. A small plume of smoke begins trailing behind.

"That can't be good," Sonic whispers to himself.

"Look at that!" Tails shouts back to him. Sonic looks up briefly forgets the about the Badniks trailing behind them.

Before the Tornado, floats an Island in the sky.

"It's real…" Sally stammers.

"Told ya…" Sonic manages to stammer back as a reply.

Suddenly laser fire sprays at them from the edge of the island in the sky.

"What in the-" Sonic begins before the biplane shudders again. The Hedgehog swears to himself as he grabs onto the wing for balance, as Tails tries to level the flying machine. He looks over towards Ben again, only to find the Wolf barely hanging on with one hand, as he flaps in the wind like a flag.

"BEN!" the hedgehog cries out, just as the wolf's fingers lose grip. Sonic reaches out as if to grab him, but the distance is too great, and there is nothing he can do as Ben is seemingly blown from the wings.

Sonic's mind races for a way to save his friend, "TAILS!"

The young fox immediately leaps from the Tornado spinning his tails faster than he ever has before.

The Hedgehog watches as the two drift farther from the plane, "Sal, get this tub of junk turned around!"

"I can't," she shouts back, "We're going to hit the island."

She tugs harshly on the joystick but it's too late.

"Sonic!" Tails's voice crackles through the radio, "The Landing gear! They're gone!"

The hedgehog looks back towards Tails who just managed to grab Ben from the air. Sonic then turns back to look at Sally, who just looks back at him, fear spread across her face.

Sonic reaches a hand towards her; the biplane bounces across the ground spinning through the air.

Metal, sky, earth, Sonic's vision spirals around him but only one thing remains in his mind.

"Sally!"

Next all Sonic sees is green, then blue…

...Then black.