erupted. It sounded more like a shotgun going off. Taylor turned in amazement to see a clean hole in the hull. They had gone through the inch thick blast doors that protected the windows to a cabin at the outer skin of the cruiser, as Jafar had said.
"We're in business!" Jones called out.
"Go!"
Jones was the first through the breach, and Taylor followed him. They had their weapons at the ready and shields held out to take an impact, but the room was peaceful. It reminded Taylor of the quarters he had occupied while on the Deveron. Some kind of workstation lay in the middle of the room, and an archway led to what appeared to be a bedroom. The layout was not unfamiliar, only the decor. A rack of what appeared to be either relics or trophies lay on a wall as prized possessions. Aside from a few weapons, Taylor did not recognise any of the items. Several appeared to be rifles and close quarter weapons, not of Mech origin, but he had little time to study them.
"We won't have long. The hull breach alert will already have activated," Jafar said.
"Lead the way," replied Taylor.
He stayed close to his alien friend as they were led down a long corridor that obviously led deep into the underbelly of the ship.
"Jesus, no wonder our guns can barely touch these things. The depth of this armour is like nothing we have ever seen," said Jones.
They finally reached a set of secure blast doors.
"Get these open," ordered Taylor.
Before the troops could act upon the order, several lights flashed and the doors before them prized open. Four Mechs stood in front of them with their weapons held low and unprepared. The eight members of the platoon at the front opened fire with vicious effect. The creatures were dead before they had known what hit them.
"They really underestimated us, didn't they?"
"This is the last thing they could have expected from us, Colonel," replied Jafar, as he stepped through the dead. "We're not far now."
They reached a four-way junction and stopped for a moment.
"The bridge is just up ahead."
Taylor turned back to the platoon.
"One section each way, as we planned it. Go."
He leapt forward with Jafar and Jones. This made Jones' section the strongest, but they were also heading for the main entrance. The corridor had only small strengthening girders each side, providing little cover. They were glad of the shields, or they'd be badly exposed. Taylor caught a glimmer of movement up ahead and realised it was the shape of two enemy soldiers guarding the doorway. They were raising their weapons as they too realised the threat.
"Fire!" he shouted.
Taylor didn't know if any of the others had spotted the creatures or not, but he knew the command would tell them everything they needed to know. There were thirty metres of open corridor between them and the enemy, but they did not slow their advance.
Holding their shields as barriers, they advanced with guns blazing. Taylor felt the heat of a pulse smash over his shield. The impact jolted his arm and reminded him of the pain from the shot that had blasted through when they had been boarded. It was also a pleasant reminder of how they were returning the favour.
A dozen or more shots pierced each of the Mechs’ armour as they continued to cover the ground at almost a sprinting pace. Jafar got ahead of them and reached the doors first. He smashed his fist into the entry button, and the doors slid open. They were greeted by half a dozen of the enemy, waiting with their weapons at the ready. Three wore Mech armour that they were familiar with, but the others wore no armour at all, only their skin fitting body suits.
Pulses smashed into their shields, and the platoon split across the corridor, trying to hide from the volley of rounds coming through the open doorway. Taylor saw Blinker lifting a grenade from his webbing.
"No! We need the controls intact!"
It was too late, the grenade was launched through the air, and they couldn't risk trying to stop it. The explosion
"We're in business!" Jones called out.
"Go!"
Jones was the first through the breach, and Taylor followed him. They had their weapons at the ready and shields held out to take an impact, but the room was peaceful. It reminded Taylor of the quarters he had occupied while on the Deveron. Some kind of workstation lay in the middle of the room, and an archway led to what appeared to be a bedroom. The layout was not unfamiliar, only the decor. A rack of what appeared to be either relics or trophies lay on a wall as prized possessions. Aside from a few weapons, Taylor did not recognise any of the items. Several appeared to be rifles and close quarter weapons, not of Mech origin, but he had little time to study them.
"We won't have long. The hull breach alert will already have activated," Jafar said.
"Lead the way," replied Taylor.
He stayed close to his alien friend as they were led down a long corridor that obviously led deep into the underbelly of the ship.
"Jesus, no wonder our guns can barely touch these things. The depth of this armour is like nothing we have ever seen," said Jones.
They finally reached a set of secure blast doors.
"Get these open," ordered Taylor.
Before the troops could act upon the order, several lights flashed and the doors before them prized open. Four Mechs stood in front of them with their weapons held low and unprepared. The eight members of the platoon at the front opened fire with vicious effect. The creatures were dead before they had known what hit them.
"They really underestimated us, didn't they?"
"This is the last thing they could have expected from us, Colonel," replied Jafar, as he stepped through the dead. "We're not far now."
They reached a four-way junction and stopped for a moment.
"The bridge is just up ahead."
Taylor turned back to the platoon.
"One section each way, as we planned it. Go."
He leapt forward with Jafar and Jones. This made Jones' section the strongest, but they were also heading for the main entrance. The corridor had only small strengthening girders each side, providing little cover. They were glad of the shields, or they'd be badly exposed. Taylor caught a glimmer of movement up ahead and realised it was the shape of two enemy soldiers guarding the doorway. They were raising their weapons as they too realised the threat.
"Fire!" he shouted.
Taylor didn't know if any of the others had spotted the creatures or not, but he knew the command would tell them everything they needed to know. There were thirty metres of open corridor between them and the enemy, but they did not slow their advance.
Holding their shields as barriers, they advanced with guns blazing. Taylor felt the heat of a pulse smash over his shield. The impact jolted his arm and reminded him of the pain from the shot that had blasted through when they had been boarded. It was also a pleasant reminder of how they were returning the favour.
A dozen or more shots pierced each of the Mechs’ armour as they continued to cover the ground at almost a sprinting pace. Jafar got ahead of them and reached the doors first. He smashed his fist into the entry button, and the doors slid open. They were greeted by half a dozen of the enemy, waiting with their weapons at the ready. Three wore Mech armour that they were familiar with, but the others wore no armour at all, only their skin fitting body suits.
Pulses smashed into their shields, and the platoon split across the corridor, trying to hide from the volley of rounds coming through the open doorway. Taylor saw Blinker lifting a grenade from his webbing.
"No! We need the controls intact!"
It was too late, the grenade was launched through the air, and they couldn't risk trying to stop it. The explosion
Similar Books
