Aeroshot

Finn Morgan, ace pirate, shot across the sky with a trail of flame. Peasants in the fields below stopped to gawk as his followers shot past him, one after another. Whoosh went Grim Grimmnarson, last of the Icelandic reavers; Whoosh went Patrick Leavey, English gentleman turned traitor to the Royal Air Navy; Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoooooooooooooosh went the five Chaati sisters, infamous for their thefts from temples and shrines all across southern Asia.

Finn Morgan, ace pirate, wasn't on a sightseeing trip that day, as he informed his fellow pirates. "We ain't no tourists, fellas," he told them over the aetherwave. "We've got a target, and this one's rich. A freight convoy six miles long is heading down the '64 to Mombasa. They're afraid that the Krauts will hit 'em, and are covered in more anti-tank guns and bazookas than you can shake a fist at."

"Big surprise they're going to get, then!" said Nena Chaati, eldest of the sisters.

"That's right, Nena," Morgan exulted. "We'll hit 'em so fast those porkers won't know what hit 'em. Quick in-and-out, three runs with the scooper. You've got it ready, Leavey, Grimmnarson?"

"I have it," Grimmnarson rumbled through the aetherwave on behalf of himself and Leavey. "Magnets are primed, everything's done but the scoopin'."

Smoke rose over the horizon. "That's them, folks," Morgan shouted. "Hit 'em."

The aeroshots, brightly painted a different hue for each pirate, shifted configuration. Wings extended, laden with deadly munitions. On two of the aeroshots, a different payload deployed; magnets and wire, loosely spread. The aeroshots plummeted.

Below, the convoy was caught utterly unprepared, just as planned. The net's magnets locked together, forming an impenetrable shroud that scooped up men and valuables alike. The six combat aeroshots took targets of opportunity, blowing heavy guns into billowing orange explosions as their crew struggled vainly to react and elevate them in time to hit the fast-flying aeroshots. Grimmnarson and Leavey rose, laden with loot; and as Leavey declared calmly "Net one filled, switching to net two," Morgan realized that he'd made a terrible mistake.

"The Krauts are here!" he yelled. "Pull out, pull out, pull out!" The Kraut anti-air guns were already firing, filling the air with deadly flak. A high whistling heralded a minor puncture in Morgan's aeroshot. His craft, along with the Chaati sisters', rose as they retracted cumbersome rockets and bombs; but the other two were sitting ducks with their precious filled net.

Morgan opened his mouth to order the net dropped, abandoning the raid as a bust; but he was too slow. Nena Chaati spat over the aetherwave "On it" and banked off, the other sisters following suit. Extending weapons again, they fell on the embattled Krauts in clouds of concealing smoke, annihilating weapon batteries with well-placed munitions.

Again praising himself for hiring the sisters, Morgan swooped over the convoy, escorting the precious cargo home. Aetherwave disconnected from the sisters', he could only guess at their survival; hounded by the convoy's guns, he spent more time dodging then speculating.

Back at the base, Morgan celebrated with Grimmnarson and Leavey. Then they set about counting the spoils. They presumed the Chaati sisters, so long absent, likely dead; until a series of concussions ripped their landed aeroshots to pieces. Rushing from the building housing their treasure, the three pirates saw the Chaati aeroshots, chipped and damaged but intact, circling overhead. They were helpless to act as the Chaati sisters stole the entire haul and flew into the horizon.

"We'll be recoverin' soon, right, guys?" Morgan asked with a nervous smile.

Grimmnarson and Leavey took the truck and drove off in search of more likely prospects.

Another day in the life of FINN MORGAN, ACE PIRATE!