It Ain't Over... by Robert M. Kerns

Author:Robert M. Kerns [Kerns, Robert M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Knightsfall Press

* * *

Sasha stepped out of the transit shaft onto Deck Two and heard the most horrendous metal-on-metal screeching, punctuated by laser fire… and it sounded like it was coming from the airlock. She headed to the airlock and, stepping around the corner, saw ten people dragging an inert suit of power armor through the second airlock. Four people clustered around the outer hatch of the maintenance airlock—two low and two high—exchanging laser fire with the station’s criminal occupants deeper into the deck.

A furred hand reached out from Sasha’s left and pulled her out of the line of fire, just as three laser beams passed through her former position and struck the bulkhead of the corridor behind her. Whatever material was used in the ship’s construction, it showed not a mark from all the laser fire it had taken in the last few minutes. Sasha turned and saw Yeleth holding her arm, she and Wixil having already vacated their suits.

“Thanks,” Sasha said with a nod.

Yeleth nodded in return. “You are welcome, and I didn’t want the promotion.”

Sasha barked a harsh laugh before asking, “What happens if you do want the promotion?”

“I’d ask Cole to give you your own ship,” Yeleth replied. “Besides, Ship’s Purser is far too much fun.”

“We’ve got him inside!” one of the crew dragging the heavy armor shouted to the people holding the outer hatch.

Sasha leaned out long enough to spy the rotary cannon at the end of its connections lying on the force-field that served as a deck. She pointed to it, asking, “Is the cannon still operational?”

“I doubt the fusion bomb would ruin it,” the spacer said, “let alone some bush-league rocket. That there’s good Solar Republic tech.”

“Then take two people and get it through the airlock. We’re not leaving it behind, either,” Sasha replied.

Two of the ten who had dragged the armor past the inner hatch of the airlock dashed back and heaved the cannon up to their shoulders. One laser beam from the station struck each person, but they powered through bringing the cannon inside the inner hatch.

“Okay, people, fall back!” Sasha shouted. “It’s time to leave!”

The four crew holding the outer hatch of the station’s maintenance airlock stepped away and began backing toward the ship, firing all the while. When one’s charge pack ran dry, they rotated positions with someone to keep a steady barrage of covering fire going back into the station.

The moment the final crewperson dove through the ship’s airlock, Sasha keyed commands into the panel that irised both hatches of the airlock closed. Then, she tapped the comms control, saying, “Sasha to Bridge.”

The speakers overhead chirped before broadcasting, “Bridge, Mazzi here.”

“Get us out of here, Mazzi. We’ve achieved our objective.”

“How’s Cole?”

Just then, Talia ran up, hauling a gurney loaded down with all kinds of gear. She came from the direction of the cargo transit shaft.

“Talia just arrived, and we still have to get him out of the armor. I’ll update you once we know more. Get us moving toward the system’s periphery.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.