24 A night to remember

[**Technoria**

**Solis City**

**Sorus District**

**Above the surface**]

A pair of hoverbikes raced across the sky, their masked riders cutting through the dense layer of smog while deftly dodging the constant machine-gun fire from behind. They were being pursued by a Phoenix attack chopper.

Weighing over 15 tons, the Phoenix was not the fastest of fliers, but it made up for it with its huge ammunition capacity and heavily armored exterior. This automated attack chopper was quite similar to the older Apache helicopters, but unlike the older attack choppers, it didn't require human pilots. The Phoenix was a much larger variant of the Apache and was controlled by its own AI, which handled both its navigation as well as its weapon systems.

The riders on the hoverbikes had speed on their side, but their vehicles were far too fragile. One direct hit from the chopper's .50 caliber tri-barrel machine gun was enough to put them out of commission. Unlike the conventional miniguns, this one was not prone to overheating since it had an internal cooling mechanism and was powered by electricity. It could keep firing as long as it didn't run out of ammunition.

So far, the Phoenix had a hard time aiming since the bikers were deliberately flying through the smog. Due to the absence of any thermal sensors and advanced RADAR systems, the attack chopper had to rely entirely on its external cameras and its frontal laser designator. The night vision mode of its dual external cameras was effective at scoping out targets in the dark, but it had little utility while flying through the smog.

The thick layer of smog choking the night sky was a mix of natural fog and vehicular and industrial smoke. It was a deadly combination of nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, aerosol paints, and sulfur dioxide. Exposure to this toxic gaseous cocktail was deadly to humans. Fortunately, the bikers were equipped with Z-97 gas masks which could purify all gaseous pollutants. Even their eyes were protected with heavy-duty industrial safety goggles.

As the pair kept speeding ahead, the reduced visibility presented a dangerous challenge. Though their goggles had ultra-high-definition night vision mode, it didn't help with the smog. They had no choice but to turn on their frontal smog lights, even if it posed the risk of drawing unwanted attention.

A wide-open sky lay before them. The concrete towers had been left far behind. Behind them, the attack chopper was firing indiscriminately, despite not being able to see its targets. The situation, however, changed rather quickly. As the duo sped out of the smoke cover, the Phoenix finally acquired clear visuals. Its tri-barrel machine gun buzzed aloud as it peppered the sky with bullets. The bikers followed an erratic aerial path, swerving and spinning across the sky to throw the chopper off target.

Unable to take out the hoverbikes with its gun, the Phoenix switched to its missile system. Under each of its massive metallic wings, was equipped a pair of Ares air-to-air missiles. Each of these missiles had a targeting range of 500 meters and was powerful enough to take out even the most heavily armored aerial targets.

As soon as the hoverbikes were in the open, the attack chopper switched on its laser designator. Unlike the inaccurate spray firing mechanism of the machine gun, the laser had pinpoint precision. The hoverbike on the left made the tiniest of errors by flying in a straight line for a second too long. The Phoenix's laser designator marked the flying target with ease, and in the very next second, two Ares missiles were fired simultaneously.

Hearing the distinctive screeching noise, the biker activated defensive countermeasures. A cluster of miniature drones was ejected from the hoverbike's rear storage compartment, quickly forming a barrier. The missiles followed the straight path to the laser and hit the barrier instead of the hoverbike.

A loud explosion, followed by a shower of shrapnel informed the biker that the danger had been averted. Both the riders immediately took a hard left and suddenly dove towards the ground. To an uninformed observer, it would've appeared as if they were freefalling due to some malfunction, but they knew exactly what they were doing.

The second pair of missiles was already on their tail, and they didn't have any countermeasures left. It would've been game over for most bikers at this point, but these two were experienced riders and managed to pull off the impossible. As soon as their bikes were about to hit the ground, they turned on the dual nitro thrusters and pulled up. Both the missiles continued on their straight path and crashed into the ground.

The Phoenix still had visuals on them, but it had exhausted its supply of missiles. Its front-mounted machine guns fired in vain as the bikers zoomed across the sky at blinding speed. The nitro boost enabled them to get clear and lose the attack chopper in the distance.

Gradually, the ruined city landscape was replaced by a desert as the riders veered off towards the right. The dazzling billboards and flickering neon lights were left far behind. Even the sky changed from a dusty brown to star-studded black. The air here was far better than it was in the city.

As the pair rode across the night sky, a low mound appeared in the distance. It looked just like a sand dune from afar, but as they got closer a few more distinctive features became visible. The mound had a sloping path leading to its entrance. It wasn't a natural formation, but an artificial structure with a metal blast door.

The riders gradually slowed down and turned off the thrusters, bringing their hoverbikes closer to the ground. The flying bikes quickly transformed into ground vehicles. First, the alloy wheels were deployed, followed by the thrusters retracting deep inside. A pair of exhaust mufflers popped out from their rear ends, and then the foot pegs extended outwards from either side.

As they landed their bikes on the ground, the shock absorbers cushioned them from the impact, and there was a smooth transition from flying across the sky to gliding through the sand. They steered clear of the cactus plants and gently approached the sloping asphalt strip, which led to the metal blast door.

Both the hoverbikes came to a smooth halt inches away from the door. A red beacon light blinked on top of the door, and a male robotic voice was heard over the intercom.

// Unknown humans detected.

Trespassing is strictly prohibited!

Please state the purpose of your visit. //