Exiles in Time by Mike Chinakos

Author:Mike Chinakos [Chinakos, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781727863260
Publisher: Pulp TV Publishing
Published: 2018-10-30T00:00:00+00:00

Part 3:

Once More Unto the Breach

Chapter 16:

Dare to Fail

“Hang on,” Zane Bader warned. “This is going to be a bumpy flight!”

Riding shotgun behind the brash pilot, John Wayfinder gripped the sides of his seat tightly. His stomach protested against the sharp, rolling dive their small starfighter suddenly made. John saw the ground coming up fast to meet them. The fighter’s engines whined, and the ship shook against the strain of the maneuver.

Tracers of bright green energy flew past the fighter, churning the ground below with explosions. Three Kendrai ships were tight on their tail. The view screen of John’s gunner position showed the wedge-shaped, heavily armed and armored fighters chasing them in a disciplined and tight formation. He wanted to fire back, but when the Kendrai had ambushed them, the first volley took out their sleeker starfighter’s bottom-mounted gun turret.

All he could do was hang on and trust in the legendary skills of Zane Bader, the most-famed pilot FedCore had ever produced.

“I’m making for that canyon just west of us,” Zane said. “I think those bad-boys chasing us are too bulky and too slow to stay with us in there.”

John adjusted his screen and zoomed in on the canyon Zane was talking about.

“Are you sure we can even fit in there?”

“Trust me,” Zane answered in a voice so cocky that John could easily imagine the smirk on his face. “This is what I do. This is what you recruited me for. Besides, this is also fun!”

Zane dove hard for the canyon. The engines roared. The fighter shuddered. The blasts of green energy kept chasing after them.

He felt Zane apply the airbrakes as they neared the canyon, slowing down just enough to ease the fighter into the tight slot of the canyon and level out. Rocky walls sped past the cockpit in a blur. John reversed the view again to track the Kendrai. They had broken their formation, and two of them had entered the canyon one by one. The third ship pursued them from above the canyon.

“They’re pretty fast for being loaded with armor,” John observed.

“They’re not that fast,” Zane told him. “Plus I haven’t even shown them all this baby’s got.”

“Well, now would be a good time. If we can outrun them, let’s get to it.”

“I think we could do better than outrunning them, John.”

“Zane, there are three of them, and one of our guns is out. I think—”

John’s words caught in his throat as Zane tipped the right wing of the fighter sharply to avoid clipping an outcropping of rock. He saw the Kendrai fighter plow through the outcrop with the edge of its rear-slanting wings. Amazingly, it didn’t affect the fighter’s course at all. It kept coming, guns blazing.

“I’ve got a plan,” Zane said. “Sensors show a tight right turn ahead. I’m going to make my move there.”

“Your move? What move?”

“Quit bothering me back there! I’m flying here!”

John couldn’t help but smile, despite the danger around them. Zane’s enthusiasm was infectious.

Over Zane’s shoulder, John saw the corner coming up quickly.

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