Rogue Starship by David Alastair Hayden

Author:David Alastair Hayden [Hayden, David Alastair]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Typing Cat Press
Published: 2017-05-09T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Siv Gendin

As the compound’s foundation shivered, Siv considered using the distraction to leap to his feet, but decided against it. Kyralla might not have it in her to torture him, but she definitely wouldn’t hesitate to kick his ass.

“Sir, the explosion hit the south wing.”

“I thought you said—”

A second explosion rocked the compound, and Oona rushed over and clung to her sister.

“That was the southwest wing, sir. Sorry, I misjudged the timing.”

“What the hell’s going on?!” Kyralla demanded.

“Orbital strikes,” Siv answered.

“How can you know that?” she asked.

“I have a high-end, military-grade sensor array, and I patched into the senator’s network to boost the signal.”

“Someone’s bombing us from orbit?” Oona asked incredulously.

It was clear by her tone that she had spent her life expecting kidnappers, not assassins and assault squads.

Siv shook his head. “Not bombs. Burst drops.”

“What?” Kyralla asked.

“Drop pods designed to penetrate energy shields or building structures, or to kill enemy forces in a landing zone. They’re pretty rare these days. But two of them have hit the building. And—”

Three smaller explosions occurred, and these were much closer. Siv relayed the information from Silky.

“Three armored vehicles just rammed into the east wing, sixty-five meters away from our position.”

“We’re getting surrounded fast,” Kyralla said with worry.

Siv studied the readouts Silky displayed in his HUD. “I’m showing five groups of armed combatants, with a scattering of security guards and cogs.”

“Where’s the fifth group located?” Kyralla asked.

“The north wing.”

“That’s Senator Pashta’s personal guard. We need to make our way there.” She held her sister out and cupped her face in her hands. “If something happens to me, Oona, then you keep running. Go to Uncle Pashta. He’ll protect you.”

“Yes, Kyra.”

“I can help you escape,” Siv said.

Kyralla’s eyes narrowed as she studied him. “Escape?”

“From the compound. Or reach your uncle if you like, though I’m not sure that’s wise.”

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking, sir?” Silky asked.

“That the uncle ratted them out? Yep.”

“I won’t hurt you or your sister,” Siv promised. “You have my word.”

“The word of a thief who came here to do the same thing two other groups of infiltrators are trying to do? A man…an addict…who’ll be punished if he fails his bosses?”

The explosions had increased her mistrust of him. And unlike her sister, Kyralla wasn’t swayed by glowing amulets that levitated.

“I’m not an addict by choice! And I wouldn’t be here if I’d known what I was sent to do.”

“Oh sure. How convenient that you didn’t ask them.”

Siv met her eyes. “I was given only a single day to plan for this job. And I thought it was practically a suicide mission. I could have refused it, but I didn’t because I was promised my freedom…from the Kompel and from the guild.”

“That’s not a persuasive argument, sir.”

“Was that supposed to convince me?” Kyralla asked.

“Told you, sir.”

“Kyra, he’s here to save us,” Oona repeated urgently. “He’s nearly a guardian, too. You can trust him. I trust him.”

There was that term “guardian” again. If they survived, he was going to have to ask her what that meant.

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.