Impersonation: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (The Ghost Squadron Book 5) by Sarah Noffke & Michael Anderle

Author:Sarah Noffke & Michael Anderle [Noffke, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2018-02-25T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Pistris Station, Planet Kai, Tangki System

“What the fuck?” Eddie yelled. “What’s going on?”

The pod shook violently when something exploded against the hatch at Julianna’s feet. The Trids were giving it all they had.

“I’m momentarily locked out of Pistris Station,” Chester said, sounding distracted. The click-clack from his side of the comm was a cacophony.

“How is that possible?” Eddie stated.

“They found me out,” Chester explained, his voice overwhelmed with nervous frustration. “I’m trying to find a backdoor. Give me a sec.”

Eddie grunted his disapproval.

Julianna circled, trying to calm the squirming animals in the duffle bag. They scurried around, many of them trying to poke their heads through the opening. She was pushing them back down when she noticed a box on the wall.

She rushed to it and said, “Wouldn’t there be a way to manually deploy the pod in case of an actual flood?”

“Hmmm…” Chester mused. “I’d expect so. I would also think the Trids could override it.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Julianna ripped open the box. A single button sat under a clear cover, below which was a lever. This seemed easy enough.

“Here goes everything,” Julianna said, slamming her hand on the red button and pulling the lever down, where it locked into place.

The pod creaked, and gears groaned. Julianna lost her footing when the pod shifted.

“What’s happening?’ Eddie asked.

“I’m not sure,” Julianna said honestly. “It’s moving. I think.”

The pod has disengaged, Pip informed Julianna.

“The pod is free,” Julianna said, excitement pounding in her chest.

“Yeah, but the propellers need to activate to push you to the surface,” Chester said, continuing to type loudly.

“Or what?” Eddie asked.

“Or else she’s going to float around aimlessly,” Chester stated.

“And the Trids will be on me in no time,” Julianna said, her eyes running over the box where she’d activated the detachment.

“And I can’t help now, since you’re no longer connected to the station.” Chester sounded defeated, but he wasn’t the one in a cramped pod floating through the ocean with a bunch of rodents.

“The red button…” Julianna said mostly to herself. “Was that to detach?”

“Yes, Indiana Jones says that sounds right,” Chester affirmed. “She also says there’s a lever under that to activate the propellers. The pods are naturally buoyant, but you’re pretty low and will run out of air unless you reach the surface soonish.”

“You’re just full of bad news today,” Eddie seethed.

Julianna gritted her teeth and pulled the lever back into its starting position, then forced it back down—but nothing happened. She tried it again, with no result, and was about to kick the pod’s wall when an engine hummed underneath her and the floor vibrated.

Julianna swayed to the side as the pod floated upward.

“I did it!” she yelled triumphantly. “Propellers are working. I’m headed for the surface.”

“Fuck yeah!” Eddie hollered. “I’m keeping an eye out for you, Strong Arm. I’ll let you know when to open the hatch.”

Julianna climbed to the top of the ladder, her hands ready to spin the hatch open.

“Just so you know,” Eddie began, “we have company.

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