Read Online Birthright: Battle for the Confederation- Turmoil by Ryan Krauter - Free Book Online
Authors: Ryan Krauter
Ads: Link
Loren said thoughtfully. "Let's clear these rooms first
and if we don ’ t finish them
off we can set up an ambush."
The next room was
empty and they quickly returned to the conference room. Breaching through the
second door they were rewarded with four bots; two on patrol and one each in
the corners. Loren double tapped the one in his corner and swung the muzzle
around just in time to shoot the roaming bot in his sector as Renner did the
same. There were no more doors.
"What,"
Loren asked quietly, "that's it?"
"We should be
so lucky," Renner replied. "Since the exercise hasn't ended, it
means we'll have to escort the hostage outside."
"Drisk are such
masochists," Loren said with a grin.
"It's what
makes us such fun at parties," Renner replied.
"Alright
then," Loren said as he grabbed the shoulder of the floating hostage bot
and placed it between himself and Renner. "Let's get out of here. I'm
getting thirsty and need a big mug of some of your local brew; Devil Spit, I
believe it's called."
Renner's head
snapped to Loren's direction as he eyed him in a new light. "Excellent
choice," he said approvingly.
"Drisk friend
of mine showed me the light," Loren said with a mischievous grin.
"Ready."
Renner waited for Loren to nod, and then they moved out. Their progress was
quick, with Renner in the lead catching and shooting two bots as they
quick-walked down the narrow hallways. When they got to the last room, they
switched positions as Renner was running low on his energy cells from being up
front.
Loren waited for
Renner to tap him on the shoulder, then ducked into the last room and swept it
quickly, spotting one last bot hiding in the corner. He gave it his usual
treatment of a double-tap to center mass with a head shot on the way down, then
opened the door that exited the shoot-house. Renner was right there with him,
hostage bot sandwiched between the both of them.
A red light flashed
and a claxon blared twice to let them know the exercise was over. The hostage
bot spun in place and floated off to a small hatch that had opened in the
wall. Loren and Renner both checked their sidearms and put them back in their
holsters, then peeled off their web gear, sensors, and padding.
"I'm ready for
that beer now," Renner announced.
Twenty minutes later
they were seated at the far end of a local bar just off the military base. It
was midday and the place was mostly empty, so they'd ordered their drinks and
lunch and were sitting peacefully.
"That was some
pretty impressive shooting in there," Renner began. "Were you a
grunt or something before you went to a command position?"
Loren chuckled.
"Thanks; you weren't exactly shooting yourself in the foot back there,
either. Actually, I was a pilot. CAG of Avenger's air wing, then found myself
being told I'd make a great XO by the captain."
"Where did your
current XO disappear to?" Renner asked. It was somewhat rare for officers
to advance too many grades on one ship; usually they headed to wherever there
were open positions.
"That was my
Drisk friend I was telling you about," Loren replied as he raised his mug
in salute. "Delgin Marks. He was killed on the first day of the war, by
an Enkarran torpedo of all things. Now we're buddies with them."
Renner raised his
mug as well and they clinked glasses, then drank a sip in silence. "I
don't suppose you've seen the ship that did it since you and the Enkarrans
entered into that treaty?"
"Better than
that," Loren replied deadpan. "That captain was on my ship a while
back. Actually saved our hides in a fight." He sighed as his mind
wandered back to that day and the swirl of emotions he'd experienced. Anger,
that the Enkarran captain had been on his ship. Acceptance, that being upset
about it forever wouldn't help him win the war. Finally, a sort of
understanding. The Enkarran hadn't been malicious or evil; he'd been following
his orders, just as Loren would
and if we don ’ t finish them
off we can set up an ambush."
The next room was
empty and they quickly returned to the conference room. Breaching through the
second door they were rewarded with four bots; two on patrol and one each in
the corners. Loren double tapped the one in his corner and swung the muzzle
around just in time to shoot the roaming bot in his sector as Renner did the
same. There were no more doors.
"What,"
Loren asked quietly, "that's it?"
"We should be
so lucky," Renner replied. "Since the exercise hasn't ended, it
means we'll have to escort the hostage outside."
"Drisk are such
masochists," Loren said with a grin.
"It's what
makes us such fun at parties," Renner replied.
"Alright
then," Loren said as he grabbed the shoulder of the floating hostage bot
and placed it between himself and Renner. "Let's get out of here. I'm
getting thirsty and need a big mug of some of your local brew; Devil Spit, I
believe it's called."
Renner's head
snapped to Loren's direction as he eyed him in a new light. "Excellent
choice," he said approvingly.
"Drisk friend
of mine showed me the light," Loren said with a mischievous grin.
"Ready."
Renner waited for Loren to nod, and then they moved out. Their progress was
quick, with Renner in the lead catching and shooting two bots as they
quick-walked down the narrow hallways. When they got to the last room, they
switched positions as Renner was running low on his energy cells from being up
front.
Loren waited for
Renner to tap him on the shoulder, then ducked into the last room and swept it
quickly, spotting one last bot hiding in the corner. He gave it his usual
treatment of a double-tap to center mass with a head shot on the way down, then
opened the door that exited the shoot-house. Renner was right there with him,
hostage bot sandwiched between the both of them.
A red light flashed
and a claxon blared twice to let them know the exercise was over. The hostage
bot spun in place and floated off to a small hatch that had opened in the
wall. Loren and Renner both checked their sidearms and put them back in their
holsters, then peeled off their web gear, sensors, and padding.
"I'm ready for
that beer now," Renner announced.
Twenty minutes later
they were seated at the far end of a local bar just off the military base. It
was midday and the place was mostly empty, so they'd ordered their drinks and
lunch and were sitting peacefully.
"That was some
pretty impressive shooting in there," Renner began. "Were you a
grunt or something before you went to a command position?"
Loren chuckled.
"Thanks; you weren't exactly shooting yourself in the foot back there,
either. Actually, I was a pilot. CAG of Avenger's air wing, then found myself
being told I'd make a great XO by the captain."
"Where did your
current XO disappear to?" Renner asked. It was somewhat rare for officers
to advance too many grades on one ship; usually they headed to wherever there
were open positions.
"That was my
Drisk friend I was telling you about," Loren replied as he raised his mug
in salute. "Delgin Marks. He was killed on the first day of the war, by
an Enkarran torpedo of all things. Now we're buddies with them."
Renner raised his
mug as well and they clinked glasses, then drank a sip in silence. "I
don't suppose you've seen the ship that did it since you and the Enkarrans
entered into that treaty?"
"Better than
that," Loren replied deadpan. "That captain was on my ship a while
back. Actually saved our hides in a fight." He sighed as his mind
wandered back to that day and the swirl of emotions he'd experienced. Anger,
that the Enkarran captain had been on his ship. Acceptance, that being upset
about it forever wouldn't help him win the war. Finally, a sort of
understanding. The Enkarran hadn't been malicious or evil; he'd been following
his orders, just as Loren would
Similar Books
It's Always Darkest Before the Fridge Door Opens: Enjoying the Fruits of Middle Age
Phil Callaway, Martha O. Bolton
