Tales from the Canyons of the Damned: Omnibus 10 by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Holt Smith Limited
Published: 2019-07-29T00:00:00+00:00

Off-World Kick Murder Squad VI by Daniel Arthur Smith

~*~

*This is the sixth episode of the serialized novel Off-World Kick Murder Squad. Earlier episodes can be read in the previous Canyons issues

AS THE JENTU FELL, the twilight horizon slipped from view and–for the second time in as many days–the fast approaching forest filled the windscreen. I’d managed to buckle into the jump seat, but that didn’t diminish the sensation of my belly rushing up to my gut.

Thunderous blasts continued beyond the hull, bouncing the ship between a sandwich of concussions. Then the explosions stopped, leaving the bridge eerily quiet in their absence.

Anson cleared his throat, “Hrrmm,” then softly said, “Well, at least they’ve stopped firing.”

“They see us going down,” said Bailer. “They know were dead in the air.”

Anson wasn’t fazed. “That’s not exactly true.”

I wasn’t as calm. “What do you mean?”

“I mean we’re okay,” he said.

“The lights are out. The engines are out. We’re falling out of the sky.” I threw my hands up but right then, the cabin shook so hard I had to grab back down to the sides of my seat so as not to fall over. “From where I sit, I fail to see how we’re okay.”

“We will be in a minute,” said Anson. “It’s not an EMP.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

He tugged at the yoke. “Because I still have a heavy stick. Let’s just ease back…” Anson pulled back on the yoke and the horizon crept back into view. He reached his arm down by his side, and, with a click, a scarlet glow washed over the console. “That’s better,” he said. “Bailer buddy, how are you doing?”

“Fine,” said Bailer.

“And you, Cap?”

“Swell,” I said, and I was. “Glad you’re the one flying the Jentu.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence,” said Anson, then he gently tilted to the side. The Jentu followed, shifting her glide path toward the shadowed contours of the dark valley below. “I can go another klick or two before we have to set her down, but I’m confident we can reboot before that.”

“What do we need to do?” I asked.

“You just sit tight, Cap. Bailer’s got this. Those concussion blasts they were firing affected the airflow around the Jentu and caused the compressors to stall, which triggered a safety feature, disabling the power. We just need to turn those engine compressors back on.”

“Put disabling that safety feature high on your list of things that need doing.”

“It’s kind of important,” said Anson. “The way it’s supposed to work—”

I cut him off, “Just put disabling that safety feature on your list.”

“Yes, Cap. Bailer, grab that red lever. On three, I’ll flip the one on my side and you flip yours. One…two…three.”

Zwoosheeep! The console went as flashy as a casino table, stabilizing when all of the control indicators and screens were properly engaged.

“All right,” said Anson. “Now to get to the river.” He gently turned the yoke and the Jentu veered to port. “Okay. Switch off all four of the thruster engines, and when I give you the signal, you turn them all on again.

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