CHAPTER THIRTEEN—NEXT TIME’S THE CHARM

Aiming his pistol at the spots of illumination through the canopy, John fired his rail gun. He heard it hit heavily and the shuttle maneuvered to get out of the way.

But it was too slow.

He fired again.

Then again.

His third shot hit something vital. He knew this because the engine blew out in a plume of smoke and flame that filled the air with hot sulfurous smoke.

Coughing, he ran between the trees as laser fire from the ground burned passed him. He circled around and saw May and Kyle sitting behind a fallen tree.

Something cracked in front of him with such force John was lifted off the ground. He fell behind a fern and grunted as he put his hands out to keep his face safe.

“John! Are you all right?”

He blinked from the force of that blow. Glancing down, he saw that his BD-S unit was in the red. He had just taken a laser from one of those Strogaus guys.

“I’m alive,” he said.

His coms chirped. “Hey.”

It was May’s voice.

The Strogaus ship overhead whined and churned, coughing out black smoke as the tumultuous thrust of its engines receded over the trees.

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Having not even gotten up from off his back, John coughed. “You two making out behind that tree? You got Strogaus agents five meters from your position!”

There was no response, other than a screeching of laser fire from May’s position.

“Thanks for the tip.”

“You’re welcome.”

Rolling to his stomach, John got up off the floor, his face feeling hot. Getting shunted through the air and landing on his back had raddled him good.

Crouching behind the fern, all laser fire had stopped.

“Keep your eyes open,” May said. “If they’re not retreating, they’re regrouping.”

“Yeah,” John said hoarsely. “But with their shuttle damaged—I bet they’re leaving.”

Staying low, John didn’t peek out from behind the fern. If one of those Strogaus guys was using thermal in this dark, he would be a big bright target.

He crawled on his forearms and knees, moving from his position and peeked out just enough to get a visual idea of the landscape.

“I don’t see any movement out there.”

May flipped her rifle over the top of the fallen tree and swiveled the barrel about. “It looks clear,” she said.

John got up, but stayed close to the tree as Kyle searched about like May for any signs of their attackers.

The roar of the Strogaus thrusters was a distant burn on the horizon.

“They’re retreating,” John said. “I suggest we get back to your shuttle so we can get out of here before they come back.”

May got up. She was still too far away to speak to John normally. “Good idea.” She waved him over. “Come on.”

Seeing her in tight black latex, he grinned.

Kyle’s losing his mind right now.

He jogged up to them.

“Hey,” Kyle said. “It’s good to see you, John. You saved our asses back there.”

“No problem,” he said.

“Man—I was worried. I thought those douches smoked you back there.”

“Hi, Kyle,” Lexa said cheerfully as her voice echoed out of John’s wristlet. “No—John is just fine. But the car is—“

“Anyway,” John said. “Let’s get to your ship, May.”

She nodded.

“Wait,” Kyle said. “What about the car?”

“The shuttle!” May said, and ran ahead of them.

John followed.

“John!” Kyle called after him. “The car? What’s wrong with the car? John?”