Be advised I will not hesitate to provide the captain with accurate and safe limits for the ship and crew, but I will make sure he understands how the new capabilities will affect his ability to remain conscious.”
I laughed hard enough to spit on my visor.
“That’s good enough for me, dear.” I said, watching as the workers hauled up a torque hammer to blast off the old mounting bolts. We had just started the process of attaching when all hell broke loose
*****
Yak spotted them first; I was watching the mechanics near the stern tubes.
“Captain I need permission to engage sir. We have incoming hostiles, unknown numbers.”
His voice was calm and cold. There were men in suits pouring out of the AD lock, looking for cover with rifles at the ready.
“Weapons free, but do not get shot, that is a direct order. Gene, we have incoming – are you done yet and if not, why not? Work faster, mister.”
“Working faster, aye ” Gene sighed back, as Yak and I both leaped to positions near the stern docking clamp.
“Yak, cover me” I said kicking for a better position towards the crates they had unloaded across the dock. Yak's longer gun had a better scope for ranged work, what I needed was a flanking position to prevent a forward assault. As I rolled past the crates, a few exploded in slow motion as the men pouring out of the AD lock fired on my position.
Yak had their number though, and dropped two before the rest returned into the cover of the open lock. “Jane, roll up” he said in comms, and I leaped at full speed to the lifter that was parked between the Archaea and the lock. From there, I could get to the side of the main AD dock station, and have a good flank. They didn't know where Yak was yet, prone with his mimetics on, but they were popping fire like mad, their needles like streaks of white plasma burning across the open dock.
“In position, Yak ” I said in a voice that sounded like a war goddess. I was in my happy place, ready to go.
“Oo h-rah, Jane. Hold tough.”
“Copy.”
I was set up in a perfect flank, in the shadow under a collection of piping that came out towards the gantry that sat behind the dock platform. For a moment, we had a sort of standoff and then I guess they decided they were tired of life, and tried to rush the ship.
A chemser doesn't flash, it throws a beam of clear, coherent energy that punches right through just about anything, and these poor mooks were wearing standard pressure suits. Yak's fire was on target, and he dropped three of them before they made it five meters. The rest fell to their faces, skidding up behind the crate stack I had just been behind. I saw one of them trying to unhook a grenade from his belt, and made my decision. Sighting on them one at a time, I exhaled, and pulled the trigger. One after the other I serviced targets, without mercy, without remorse, without hesitation.
“Clear, Yak.” I said softly into comms.
“Clear, Jane. Move up to a flank on the lock and cover me.”
“Moving now” , I said, hopping past the bodies to the side of the open lock hatch. I popped a quick lean into the opening to make sure the side opposite of me was clear and waited for him to roll up.
I didn’t have to wait long. A few moments later h e tapped me on the shoulder, and I sliced in, tracking the barrel around the corner into the empty lock, checking the corners.
“Clear!” I said and took a position across the opening from Yak.
“Sir, all hostiles are down, no casualties here.”
“Outstanding job kids, keep up the good work. Gene? I am afraid our time is up.”
“I know sir ; we have the nozzles off and are working on the mating collars right now.”
“Sounds vulgar, and y ou know how I feel about that.”
Gene laughed. “ Yes sir. How about: Soon, Damned Soon, and Real Soon Now!”
“That's what I like to hear. F olks, it is now a good time to look small – the cavalry has arrived.”
As he spoke, we were thrown completely
I laughed hard enough to spit on my visor.
“That’s good enough for me, dear.” I said, watching as the workers hauled up a torque hammer to blast off the old mounting bolts. We had just started the process of attaching when all hell broke loose
*****
Yak spotted them first; I was watching the mechanics near the stern tubes.
“Captain I need permission to engage sir. We have incoming hostiles, unknown numbers.”
His voice was calm and cold. There were men in suits pouring out of the AD lock, looking for cover with rifles at the ready.
“Weapons free, but do not get shot, that is a direct order. Gene, we have incoming – are you done yet and if not, why not? Work faster, mister.”
“Working faster, aye ” Gene sighed back, as Yak and I both leaped to positions near the stern docking clamp.
“Yak, cover me” I said kicking for a better position towards the crates they had unloaded across the dock. Yak's longer gun had a better scope for ranged work, what I needed was a flanking position to prevent a forward assault. As I rolled past the crates, a few exploded in slow motion as the men pouring out of the AD lock fired on my position.
Yak had their number though, and dropped two before the rest returned into the cover of the open lock. “Jane, roll up” he said in comms, and I leaped at full speed to the lifter that was parked between the Archaea and the lock. From there, I could get to the side of the main AD dock station, and have a good flank. They didn't know where Yak was yet, prone with his mimetics on, but they were popping fire like mad, their needles like streaks of white plasma burning across the open dock.
“In position, Yak ” I said in a voice that sounded like a war goddess. I was in my happy place, ready to go.
“Oo h-rah, Jane. Hold tough.”
“Copy.”
I was set up in a perfect flank, in the shadow under a collection of piping that came out towards the gantry that sat behind the dock platform. For a moment, we had a sort of standoff and then I guess they decided they were tired of life, and tried to rush the ship.
A chemser doesn't flash, it throws a beam of clear, coherent energy that punches right through just about anything, and these poor mooks were wearing standard pressure suits. Yak's fire was on target, and he dropped three of them before they made it five meters. The rest fell to their faces, skidding up behind the crate stack I had just been behind. I saw one of them trying to unhook a grenade from his belt, and made my decision. Sighting on them one at a time, I exhaled, and pulled the trigger. One after the other I serviced targets, without mercy, without remorse, without hesitation.
“Clear, Yak.” I said softly into comms.
“Clear, Jane. Move up to a flank on the lock and cover me.”
“Moving now” , I said, hopping past the bodies to the side of the open lock hatch. I popped a quick lean into the opening to make sure the side opposite of me was clear and waited for him to roll up.
I didn’t have to wait long. A few moments later h e tapped me on the shoulder, and I sliced in, tracking the barrel around the corner into the empty lock, checking the corners.
“Clear!” I said and took a position across the opening from Yak.
“Sir, all hostiles are down, no casualties here.”
“Outstanding job kids, keep up the good work. Gene? I am afraid our time is up.”
“I know sir ; we have the nozzles off and are working on the mating collars right now.”
“Sounds vulgar, and y ou know how I feel about that.”
Gene laughed. “ Yes sir. How about: Soon, Damned Soon, and Real Soon Now!”
“That's what I like to hear. F olks, it is now a good time to look small – the cavalry has arrived.”
As he spoke, we were thrown completely
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