“The main servos are down. You’ll have to use the emergency override.”

  Mikle exchanged a quick look with Gavit. Once they’d fired the emergency bolts that landing gear would be stuck down, and they’d have no way of getting them back up.

  “Don’t worry that’s why a corvette is coming to get us,” Acknit explained. “Quick thinking and cussing like a Terran.”

  Cursing under his breath, Mikle stabbed at the emergency override panel. After confirming that he did, in fact, want to fire the emergency bolts the whole dropship shuddered as if hit again. The landing gear launched out of their bays with enough force to shake the dropship. Mikle breathed a momentary sigh of relief and checked their approach speed. “Gavit we’re coming in kind of hot.”

  Gavit stayed focused on the plateau, it was all part of his plan. They had to set down before the fighters could shoot them down. “I’m aware of that. Soon as we’re close enough I’ll fire the retros. That plateau should be big enough to give us plenty of room that way. Once we’re down those fighters should break off, I hope.”

  Acknit flashed an alert onto their screens. Gavit caught the alert out of the corner of his eye but was too preoccupied to read it.

  Mikle went rigid as he read it. “What do you mean the reverse thrusters are out? That would have been nice to know a while ago.”

  Frag me sideways. The plateau was too close and they had committed to the landing. They had to set down. “Too late. Mikle, I’m going to need your help on this.”

  The dropship slammed down on the plateau, the whole craft shuddering and moaning from the impact. We’ll be lucky if no one died during that, Gavit thought as he stomped on the left rudder pedal and threw all his weight behind it. Mikle followed suit, not that it would mean much, but it seemed to make him feel better.

  As they reversed direction, Gavit and Mikle let up on the pedals and slammed the throttles full open, kicking in the overboost. If they failed to stop the craft before it reached the edge they were sure to topple over. The plasma thrusters immolated the plants behind them as they fought against their momentum. All the while, the three-man crew stared at the indicators, the edge of the plateau drawing closer. They skidded to a halt with half of the rear landing balls hanging over the edge. Gavit didn’t dare ease up on the throttles sure that thrust alone was keeping them from falling.

  Mikle stared at the controls, curiosity on his face. “What are you doing? We’re down.”

  Gavit remained calm, watching his pitch indicator beginning to tilt back an iota. “I need de-grav generators now! Acknit please tell me we have some still functioning.”

  Acknit shook his head. The screens in front of Gavit showed that the units were all but inoperable. Those undamaged in the attack, had been crushed upon landing.

  “Anything you have, give it to me. If I let up, or those jokers decide to take a potshot at us, or any other hiccup and we’re going over the edge.”

  A violent shudder rocked the dropship and Gavit checked his screens. A Solaar raced over them. The whole cliff face rocked as the interceptor’s anti-bomber rockets exploded against the wall of stone.

  The rock face crumbled beneath them and the dropship skidded backwards off the cliff as Gavit fought the controls to keep them from flipping over. Mikle poured all the power he and Acknit could manage into the de-grav generators to try and level their crippled ship. Screams echoed up from the civilians below. The dropship tilted and quaked with each impact with the trees and outcroppings as they slid down the cliff face.

  Gavit clenched his teeth as a horrid screech of tearing metal echoed up to him and their port landing gear indicator went dark. A moment later, three of their ball landing gears and their starboard wing raced past their canopy after they were wrenched free of the ship. This was the worst crash he’d ever had. He kept the throttle firewalled to try and limit the damage, twisting the controls to try and avoid any more natural obstacles. Do I dare turn us around? he wondered before the engine power indicators sank to almost nothing. “Acknit, talk to me.”

  “We just lost the number two power core. I’m diverting power from other system just to keep the engines going.”

  Gavit cursed. Anything else you want to throw at us God? The engines surged again, but only for a moment. Another gut-wrenching screech of metal assaulted his ears. The servos controlling the position of the starboard outrigger pod shattered and the dropship listed to that side. Screams again filled the cabin while they spun about and Gavit got a momentary glimpse of their destination.

  A rock ledge just large enough for the dropship greeted them. At their angle of approach however, they would nose straight in and that would be the end of them all. Gavit hauled back on the stick as hard as he could. The nose thrusters responded, glassing the silica rich rock before the nose lifted away. The dropship pancaked against the outcropping a moment later.

  Alert lights flashed all across their consoles as they came to a cockeyed rest, the port outrigger pod still in the lowered position. Dazed from the impact, Gavit hauled back on the throttle. “Shut it down, shut everything down now!” The crew worked at a fevered pace, shutting down all onboard systems as they watched the containment levels on their remaining reactor. “Tell me that thing is stable.”

  Acknit sighed. “It’s all but dead. I can keep it in standby for minor systems, but that’s it.”

  Gavit slumped back in relief. At least we have that going for us.

  Blazer’s voice rang up from below. “Status?!”

  “We’re down and relatively intact. The plateau gave out under us. I’m sorry.”

  “Worry about it later. Get these hatches open, now!”

  Gavit nodded to Mikle. At the angle they were sitting at they wouldn’t be able to open the main bay. At least Arion parked the AT-APT in the port outrigger instead of the main bay.

  Mikle, his hands trembling, keyed the controls to the outrigger bay doors and both sets of doors cycled open.

  “Now, let’s try and get those dorsal turrets back up and running,” Gavit ordered.

  ***

  Down in the main bay, Blazer looked around, assessing their situation. He released himself from his harness with care, not allowing gravity to pull him across the bay. Clinging to the straps of the other seats, he made his way down the line. Along with his team, he assisted the civilians out of their harnesses and sent them tumbling and sliding across the deck to the other side. He followed them and slid down next to Marda, trying to keep a steady stance as smoke gradually filled the bay.

  Marda looked up at Blazer, her battle rifle in hand. “How bad off are we?”

  Blazer shook his head. “Bad. Acknit, I need a damage assessment!”

  “We’re not going anywhere. We’re doing our best to try and get the intact turrets online. We do have a bit of good luck though.”

  We could use a bit of that. Blazer turned to Zithe and the others as they directed the civilians through the transfer tunnel into the starboard outrigger pod where the floor should be level. “What would that be?”

  “Our position is relatively defensible.” A hologram snapped to life in front of Blazer detailing their resting spot. They were at the foot of the plateau, on an outcropping three hundred metra above the wooded floor below. Behind them, the plateau provided a natural barrier. The trees ahead of them, those that had remained standing after their crash, provided a screen against further aerial attack. Blazer studied the map—the trees would obscure them from ground forces as well. There appeared to be a small road leading up to the shelf. It looks just wide enough for an AT-APT or grav tank. Ground troops coming up the road could be brought under fire from the ship and ground positions.

  He surveyed the rest of the scene, a series of mountains opposite them. A few were close enough for the enemy to set up cannons or artillery to hammer them if they didn’t bring in gunships. He looked over his team as they gathered before him. “This is what we have people. It’s bad, but we can hold it, for a while.” He pointed out a number of spots on the map. “I want fire teams one and two with me, here, covering the forest and taking out anyone who wants to try the road.”

  Zithe looked at the map, considering it. “They’ll have cover from the woods until right before they come to road. That will make it difficult to engage them.”

  Blazer nodded. “I see that too. Can we get the AT-APT out?”

  Arion answered from the port outrigger pod. “She’s a little banged up, and one of the attachment claws is jammed on it, but I can get it free and out there. Want me to set up at the top of the ramp?”

  “That sounds good. Take it out as fast as you’re able, and do what you can to hold that position. If compromised fall back though. I want the rest of your fire team set up here.” Blazer pointed to a spot under the nose of the dropship. “That should give them plenty of cover and a good field of fire for Matt. Bichard I’m going to want a full surveillance suite up. I don’t want anyone sneaking up on us.”

  Bichard clicked back an affirmative as he climbed back up the deck to his surveillance kit.

  “Drop team, can you get us anything? Turrets? Shields?”

  “We’re working on the turrets right now lead,” Gavit replied. “As for shields, that’s a no joy.”

  “We only have power for guns or shields. Also, we’ve only the one spinner working. Without the others the ion cloud’ll fry us,” Acknit explained.

  Blazer grimaced. “What about the grav deflectors?”

  “We lost those a while ago. Give us a few hects and we might be able to get something that can deflect a rock, but…”

  Blazer nodded. “That’s fine. Okay people, move like you have a purpose.”

  The fire teams deployed as Blazer ordered them to their assigned locations as the civilians took cover in the outrigger bays. The heavy armored skin of the dropship still served as their best protection unless the enemy brought in heavy weapons. Blazer deployed with his fire team as the AT-APT limped out of the outrigger bay. It was a sorry sight. The frame was bent from the impact, and one of its degrav generators looked damaged. The right rear corner hung low and scraped the ground on every bump.

  Arion replied as Bichard deployed his BIRDs, Biomorphic Indigenous Robotic Drones, which mimicked the native fauna. The flock of drones took up station above the downed craft and beamed back images of nothing but trees.

 

 

  Blazer grumbled at that but said nothing. The intel a group of spirit orbs could supply might prove invaluable. I need to consider having a set of orbs assigned to our team for future operations.

  Time seemed to drag on as Blazer walked the perimeter, looking for any weakness in their defense. The counter to the corvette’s arrival didn’t seem to tick down so much as trickle.

  One of Bichard’s BIRDs flitted past and drew Blazer’s attention. The little mimic looked like any of the other local birds he’d seen so far, but looks weren’t everything. The BIRD swung around to get a better look at something and Bichard’s voice rang out over the micomm.

  Blazer turned, shouldering his rifle, and moved for cover as he scanned the woods below. A hologram appeared in his HUD. It revealed a group of men moving through the underbrush with what looked like heavy artillery. Worse, behind them was a main battle tank. Blazer grimaced at the image of the tracked vehicle. Even when fully operational, the AT-APT, and its chain plaser, could never stand against that tank. Damaged as it was, it couldn’t even maneuver enough to create a diversion or harass the attackers.

  He glanced up to Gokhead and Acknit as they continued to work on the dropship’s chin turret. What I wouldn’t give for one of the heavy turrets. That chin turret’s for clearing hostile troops out of a landing zone. It won’t do much against that tank either. Maybe if we can reset it to volley fire and Arion can bring that tank into its field of fire? Blazer reached up and pointed out something to the pair.

  Gokhead called back. Using their magnetic grapples the pair crawled across to the hatch. Blazer’s time spent with the maintainers at the academy still proved useful on occasion.

  Blazer looked back at the mountains across from them. If I were them I’d have troops set up over to observe us if nothing else. The hills were several kilometra away and that left him confident that he could still move about until the ground troops got closer.

  A warning screech from one of Bichard’s BIRDs drew Blazer’s attention. He stepped forward to see what was wrong. A plasma round slammed into his chest. The pain was the most intense thing he’d ever felt as he collapsed to the ground. His whole body went cold and his breathing became labored as he lay there. he managed and fingered a hole in his chest armor. Charred flesh met his probing fingers, ringing a thumb-sized hole.

  The next thing he knew, he felt hands jerking his tactical vest. A flash of a face revealed Marda as she dragged him across the ground back towards cover. Marda reported.

  Zithe replied over the micomm link. Zithe ordered to Bichard.

  Bichard’s clicking voice echoed around the dropship as he scanned the area.

  Matt ordered. Pain radiated from Blazer’s chest. He tried to picture Matt. He’d ordered him to take up a position between two of the dropship’s landing gear balls. With Bichard feeding him the telemetry, the ion trail would appear as clear as the local sun.

  He’d line up his shot based on that trail, find the shooter, and take them out. If the Geffer’s were smart, they’d be dressed in active camo ghillie suits. The report of three plasma rounds reached Blazer’s ears just before shock and blood loss collapsed the world around him.

  ***

  Marda examined the scorched hole in Blazer’s chest. The shot had burned right through and out his back. The sight stunned her—the shot had obliterated his primary heart. God please tell me that his secondary heart is still pumping. The shot had destroyed his medical telemeter so the medical readout in her helmet was useless. Bracing herself, she dug her arms under her husband’s limp form and prepared to lift him.

  Matt replied with a blue light in her HUD. Her strength enhanced by her ACHES, Marda lifted Blazer and rushed him towards the level outrigger pod. She glanced over her shoulder at the mountain the shot had come from. A small fire had ignited, the kind that erupted when a plaser magazine explodes. She skidded into the all but empty bay.

  Mikle rushed to the console ahead of her. Slamming his fist into the control panel, he activated the sterilized pop-out medical tent.

  Marda snapped back, as the sterilized walls emerged from the side of the bay. When the surgical table lifted from the deck, she dumped Blazer onto it.

  Zithe replied.

  Marda cursed silently as she slipped out of her outer armored shell.

  Zithe replied.

  Marda fought to maintain control as the suite closed around her and Blazer. Looking over, she spied one of the nuns they’d rescued walk up to the opened door. “I am a qualified surgical nurse, can I assist you?”

  Marda waved the woman inside, then grabbing a laser scalpel sliced through Blazer’s scorched armor. The nurse dunked her hands into the sanitation station. The nano-bots within scrubbed off the outermost layer of her skin along with any bacteria or impurities before assembling sanitized surgical gloves up to elbows. Gloved up, she stepped over to Marda to see how she could assist.

  “Help me get the rest of his armor off.” The two of them stripped Blazer of his torso armor and body-glove. “Get the monitors on him and tell me how his secondary heart is functioning,” Marda ordered as she stepped back. She ran to the sanitation station, stripping back her own body-glove, before sinking her hands into the nanobot-infused liquid. After the gloves formed, she ran back to Blazer. He was pale, his body shivering and twitching as the holographic display above him showed the damage to his internal organs. An irregular heartbeat spiked from his secondary heart.

  Not wasting any time, she grabbed the laser scalpel and sliced into his chest. She cleaved what remained of his sternum before she reached in and cracked open his rib cage. Her initial exam and the hologram above told her what to expect, but actually seeing it still shocked her. Little remained of his primary heart. Most of what she saw was just bits burnt which had been burnt beyond recognition by the plasma blast. Beside the gaping wound, his secondary heart was scorched, the torn flesh alowing blood to squirt out with each beat.

  She set the laser scalpel aside. The next part would be tricky. She picked up the nano-suture wand and ran it along the side of the secondary heart. The nano-assemblers at the tip poured in, converting his blood into scar tissue, sealing the wound. Marda would apply proper stem cell infused flesh patches later. The secondary heart addressed, she took the wand and sealed off the veins and arteries leading to the tattered remains of his primary heart.

  Setting the suture wand aside, she took a retractor and probed the wound. The blast had missed his spine by a centimetra. Still, the heat had fused two of the vertebrae together. She breathed a silent prayer, thankful that the sniper had used a plasma rifle instead of a mass driver. It had cauterized the wound track. That was the only thing that had kept him from bleeding out.