Vikings battle Zeppelins while forbidden desires spark! (Swords Versus Tanks Book 2) (10 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lowenstein eyed his officers. His hands flexed and he imagined gripping his Stormgun. In the old days he would simply have shot one to encourage the others. Instead he grinned and lit his cigar.

The men and women flinched.

He puffed. “Terrible, is it not? There are probably only eleven of these Top Hat Special Cigars left in this benighted world. Soon there will be only ten.” He tipped the ash on the deck, earning another flinch. “Oh, do not fret,” he said. “The gas is above us, not in the Control Car.”

He doubted any of these ignorants expected – or wanted — to see him again, alive or dead. But when he made high ground and used the flare, they’d picked him up all the same. Now here they were: an Air Marine Lieutenant and two Airship Captains, one who'd survived the storming of Airship 01. It shouldn’t have come to this – they should just be in hot pursuit. Each moment of pointless consultation ate away at the possibility of retrieving Jasmine alive. But under the ridiculous Egality Rules he had to hold a council of war.

"Well, gentlemen, madam," said Lowenstein. He paused to inhale. "We appear to have lost an airship. Thoughts? Observations? If you please. But make haste, unless you really want to go home and explain how you let Airship 01 and whatever prisoners are on board, just drift off while I was incommunicado?"

The Captain coughed and wafted at the smoke. "We did undertake radar monitoring of the vessel. Our assessment was that it was subject to unpowered drift. The brave prisoners no doubt refused to collaborate with their Quasi-Elitist captors."

Lowenstein allowed himself a laugh. "And the ignorant barbarians won’t know how to fly it themselves."

Everybody looked uncomfortable.

"Colonel! Just because they lack a modern education..." began the Air Marine Lieutenant.

"...and come from an exploitative and backward feudal society..." chipped in the vessel-less Captain.

"...doesn’t mean that they are stupid."

The other Captain added, earnestly, "Perhaps the engine’s damaged, or the fuel got dumped."

Lowenstein held up his hand. "Whatever. We should follow the prevailing winds until the radar picks them up again." He enjoyed anther puff of his cigar. "If that is acceptable?"

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Find out what happens next in…

SWORDS VERSUS TANKS 3:

“Pyramid of Blood!”

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