Chapter 8: Making a stand

I shook my head as I crawled out and moved to the flier. I went through the start up and lifted off smoothly in the dawns light. I banked sharply and headed towards the colony landing pads at full speed. I dropped to just above the treetops. It was not long before I dropped into the huge pad clearing and shut off the flier even before I landed and stopped.

I rolled off the flier and brought the rifle over my head. I switched on the sights as I aimed across the pads and started firing. I shot anything that moved as they began to react. So far only a few shoots came towards me but that would change. I engaged a group of armored Cariss as they rushed into the pad area from the direction of the colony.

One was a brightly decorated officer who was quick to duck behind cover. I fire at those exposed as well as the ones that tried to fire over their protection. I shifted at a distant sound that approached and fired into the cover the officer was hiding behind. When the shuttle flashed over and dropped to the far pad it startled me. Even as it started settling to the pad I fired into one of the engines.

It belched smoke and flame before exploding and tossing the shuttle sideway into the far trees. I shifted and shot three Cariss as they moved out from behind cover heading for the shuttle wreck. I fired at anything that moved and when they began to move at the same time, I concentrated on one at a time. The sudden roar of engines deafened everyone as the scout ship descended to a pad to my right.

The Cariss started taking shots at the ship but the armored hull was to thick. I killed several Cariss before they realized I was the danger and not the ship. A warning beep from the rifle had me removing a dead looking oval before pushing a fresh one in to replace it. Several Cariss were rushing closer and I fired into them rapidly. I do not know what was taking so long but the entrance hatch on the ship remained closed.

When a fresh group of Cariss rushed into the pad area I switched to shoot at them. I killed two officers that seemed to think they were immune to my firing. Suddenly several shots exploded among the Cariss and they scrambled to escape. I glanced at the ship’s hatch to see it open and a long barrel sticking out. The Cariss quickly pulled back and I knew they were probably calling a armor breaker down for the ship.

The scout poked her head out as the Cariss disappeared and then quickly swung out onto the side of the ship and started down. I stood keeping my rifle aimed at the road leading to the colony until the scout was on the ground and walking towards me. I spun and knelt to change the settings on the flyer before standing and turning to the scout, “We need to get away from here.”

She nodded and pulled a small device and pointed it at her ship. She turned to me as the ship began rumbling as if getting ready to lift. I headed towards the east and into the forest. I turned at the trees to aim and fire at several Cariss that had returned. The ship began lifting as the scout headed deeper into the woods. I shook my head and spun to follow.

I had barely caught up when everything around us started bursting into flame. I grabbed her arm and pulled as I started to run. The small river I was heading for was not far but time seemed to slow. Bullets from overhead began landing all around us and bushes and trees exploded in flame. I glanced at the scout as we got close to the river, “Dive in and hold your breath as long as you can.”

She tossed her rifle and dove as I glanced back towards the landing pads and then followed her. The water was cold and clear as I headed towards the bottom. The light above the stream turned reddish orange as another explosion of flame swept out from the pads. I continued to hold my breath and look towards the scout who seemed to be doing well.

When the tint of orange disappeared, I grabbed the rifle from the bottom and headed towards the surface. I did not hesitate in climbing out, I pulled on the scout as soon as she appeared and yanked her out of the water.