Shadow Strike by D. J. Holmes

Author:D. J. Holmes [Holmes, D. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

As Sun Tzu famously teaches, you must know both yourself and your enemy to win in warfare. That truism is just as accurate for modern naval warfare as it was for ancient Chinese land battles. The problem in our modern era is that it is often extremely difficult to really get to know a foreign alien civilization. There are some however, who get the chance to do what others cannot.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Ten days earlier.

When Georgia slowly regained consciousness, she was assaulted by overwhelming amounts of pain. Every part of her body seemed to ache. The worst by far was her chest. The pain made it all but impossible to think. Where am I, she barely managed to ask herself. No answer came.

To try and calm her mind, she used a technique General Johnston had taught her. Thankfully, that memory at least came to her. Focusing on one point of pain, one of the least painful, she examined it intimately. Allowing it to fill her mind, she felt each throb that it sent through her body. Though it intensified the pain from that one spot, the others faded. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for her to start to try to think more clearly.

The first thing she did was access the neural link to her augments. Overriding their safety protocols, she increased the volume of painkillers they were releasing into her system. Quickly, for the pain from her body threatened to overwhelm her again, she returned to focusing on one particular pain in her calf muscle. Though it seemed to take an age, slowly but surely, Georgia started to feel the effects of the painkillers.

As her mind was able to think more clearly, she began to investigate her surroundings. First, she opened her eyes. Mostly, she was greeted by darkness. The darkness of space looked in on her through her cockpit window, while all but a few of her consoles appeared to be without power. When Georgia did tilt her head to look down at one small source of light, she shut her eyes with a hiss. The movement sent shivers of pain down her spine and bolts of agony through her mind.

Deciding to keep her eyes closed for the meantime, Georgia examined her body instead. The most pain was coming from her chest. Specifically, from several lines across her chest. She frowned, though it hurt. The pattern of the lines was familiar to her. It took a couple of seconds for it to come back, then she realized. It was the pattern of her flight seat’s harness. The realization brought a cascade of other memories with it. She remembered the Eaglaton ambush, and her charge against their fighters, then her desperate dogfight with the fighter with the sharp-toothed bird on it.

My cockpit ejected when I was hit, Georgia told herself. You’re alive and in your cockpit!.. Or what is left of it. To confirm her suspicion, she tried opening her eyes again, this time more slowly.

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