Double Down by M R Forbes

Author:M R Forbes [Forbes, M R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-04-08T06:00:00+00:00

19

Hayley was on the bridge with Quark, Don Pallimo, and Jil when the Chalandra came out of FTL, moving back into regular spacetime and pushing through the blue haze of the disterium gas. Yeti-4 was still a short distance away, the coordinates the Pallimo synth had entered giving them ample time to survey the area and bug out if the conditions were lousy.

“What have we got?” Quark asked. He was standing beside the command station.

Don Pallimo had claimed the main operational console since it was remaining behind when the combat team disembarked.

“Clear,” Pallimo said. “As expected. There’s no way Thetan could have known I knew about this place.”

Hayley couldn’t see the ice world in the forward viewport, but she could imagine what it looked like. A solid white blob against the black backdrop of the galaxy. Not really that exciting from a distance.

“Why’d you set up shop out here?” Quark asked. “Looks like a shitty place to live.”

“It is,” Pallimo agreed. “But it also has built-in security. The experiments go wrong, something nasty escapes, where are they going to go? Who are they going to hurt?”

“Fair enough. Jil, you’ve got the Chalandra once I’m off the bridge.”

“Not Don Pallimo?” Jil asked, looking back.

“Nope. He’s a civvie, and this is a military drop. I’m sure he agrees.”

“Affirmative, Colonel,” the synth replied. “I’ll assist in any way you deem necessary, Lieutenant.”

“Roger,” Jil said.

Quark turned to Hayley. “Witchy, let’s get our greenies ready for action. I hope they packed some thermals on this pansy ship.”

“Me, too,” Hayley replied.

They left the bridge, heading to the common area. Most of the new Riders were already there, watching streams and playing games while they waited. Hayley could see their qi mixing and merging in her vision. There was a definite tension to their actions. A line of nervousness and excitement and fear. There hadn’t been time to stop and reload anywhere before their arrival, so their level of readiness was already way beyond anyone’s comfort level.

Excluding Mazrael. He was sitting in the corner, quiet and confident. The Gift made him a powerful weapon. He didn’t need guns and ammunition and armor to be dangerous.

“Perk up, Riders,” Quark said, getting their attention.

Hayley noticed Tibor was absent. Had he changed his mind about staying in the game?

“Where the frag is Xolo?” Quark said, noticing he was missing a moment later.

“Who?” Lana said.

“Sergeant Xolo,” Quark repeated.

Lana laughed. “That’s his new handle?”

“He was working out last time I saw him,” Narrl said. “Trying to make sure he never loses again, I guess.”

Tibor entered the room from the far hatch. He had changed back into his armor, holes and all. He walked with serious purpose, coming to stand in front of Quark and snapping him a tight salute.

“Sergeant Xolo reporting for action, sir,” he said.

Quark nodded. “Good to have you, Sergeant.”

Tibor stepped back, standing beside Hayley while Quark moved to the center of the room to hold court.

“Here’s the deal,” Quark said. “We’re going to touch down on Yeti-4 in about twenty minutes.

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