Four months after Heepunui was born the Red Scar was attacked. Eight large ships hyper jumped into the air space and offloaded a mirid of smaller ships. A station wide announcement barked out over the stations PA system. “We are under attack make ready and fight well.”

“Ok kids, we have trained for this drill. Shige you get Heepunui to Sue. The hospital is the safest place in the station in an invasion. It will be needed whatever way things turn out. Then get back here before they lock the station down. Amataya you are with me. Remember they will go straight for the control center and docks where the portal is so they shouldn’t trouble us here. Don’t forget if they breech the walls there won't be any atmosphere so keep your respirators handy.” said Ruth who was remarkably calm for the seriousness of the situation.

Amataya took a deep breath kissed Heepunui, “go and play with Grandma Sue darling.”

She helped Shige load her into a backpack carrier then followed Ruth.

“Keep her safe” she called after them.

Paul bought out his grandfather's rifel and arranged some crates for cover. They were relieved to see a troop of Vikings arrive from their corner of the base. One set up a large floor mounted cannon of a gun. from the airspace overhead they could hear the stations Sheilds straining.

"The real battle will be down here” said one of the Vikings, she had a wild look in her eye.

It seemed like hours as they watched multiple ships leave the hanger, but in reality, it was more like 10 minutes. Amataya and Ruth arrived back in the hanger looking fearsome. They both had great shields and oversized swords as well as a small armory of explosives strapped to their loader suits. In all four loader operators were allocated to the hanger along with a dozen station soldiers. One of the loader suit operators made an announcement.

“The navigators have been notified and will have a star fighter and troop ships any time now. We have to hold the station until then. All blast doors will shut in 5 minutes.

A group of civilians, some from ships that hadn't left and some from the station gathered in the hanger with weapons ready. Together they made a formidable force. Shige came running through the group in good time before the station locked down.

The first breach in the hanger was at the far end away from the Albatross. The doors started to glow and billow smoke giving them ample warning. The captain of the soldiers broke the group in two leaving Ruth, Amataya and half the group at their end. The door gave way and a battle of explosions, shooting and laser blasts began. While they were working out whether or not to head down the other end another group of attackers began chopping through the wall not far from where Ruth and Amataya were standing.

“Get your manual shield in position and switch your suits shield generator on, one of us on each side of the Vikings cannon, remember our job is to take out anything big that comes through." said Ruth to Amataya.

Suddenly it was on, the wall fell in, someone threw a grenade in as one was thrown out. Through the explosions came a six-legged spider looking machine with a whopping great machine gun mounted on top. It sprayed bullets all over the show, without thinking Amataya ran forwards taking its fire with her giant shield. She turned and swung her sword sweeping out the legs on one side of the spider walker. As the machine tripped, she flipped it over with a charge from her shield. Her hand on her shield arm had a charge ready and she stuck it to the upturned machine then backed away.

Not fast enough, the charge went off and blew her backwards skidding across the floor. The battle continued around her while she scrambled to her feet. Paul fired shots off though his heart wasn’t in it at all. Shige had made a shield from the left-over hull sections. He inched forwards and picked up a gun from one of the fallen soldiers then made his way back to Paul.

“This if fucked up” he yelled.

The attackers had managed to blow a hole through the far wall and were running through it, followed by the station soldiers and most of the Vikings. In the relative quiet Amataya regained her footing. She could see a double seated vibrobike that had been used in the attack outside the stations wall. Without thinking she stepped out the hole. Luckily all was quiet on the outside as well. There was an epic battle going on in the sky above and fierce looking ground battles further along the base.

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She stuck her oversized sword in the ground and grabbed the bike dragging it back through the hole in the wall.

“Shige, I bought you a present!” she yelled.

He ran over to the bike while Amataya shielded him.

“You nutter, how is your shield.”

“The manual one is still good but the suit one is down.” she replied.

Explosions went off somewhere deep inside the station which made them all jump. Before they could calm their nerves something big hit the roof. They could hear it slide down the outer wall.

“We are going for more guns,” Amatya told Paul and Shige.

Ruth was with them and together they approached the carnage from the initial attack, others joined behind them. Shige managed to collect three pistols, a laser rifle and a crossbow along with ammo clips. One of their group stuck their head out of the hold in the wall. There is a cruiser crashed down the way a bit, but the coast looks clear. Let's build a defensive line here. Together they dragged random objects into a ring with the Viking cannon in the center.

Suddenly Paul's tablet went off giving him a huge fright. It was MacGyver. “You are ok?, I think that battle is calming down. Can you get to some transport?”

“Hey MacGyver, good to hear you are still with us, we are ok, Amataya acquired us a speeder and some guns. Why?” he replied.

“Get fast boy and speeder, we are going to make a good credits. Meet me here.” He sent some coordinates not far from the station.

Paul relayed the request to Shige.

“Why not. Jump, sorry climb, on. I think that this is the fire button.” He held out the rifle to Paul and shoved some pistols into the top of his pants.

“Ready?” They made their way to the barricade.

“What are you two doing?” Amataya asked.

“I'm not exactly sure, going for a work bonus. Make sure we have something to come back too.” said Paul over his shoulder.

Shige opened the throttle and they shot away from the station. The bike had no governor and went like a rocket. Paul could do nothing but hold on. A few shots were fired their way, but they soon outran them.

Shige cried out like a wolf. “This is some day brother” he yelled back to Paul.

“You can say that again”.

They spotted MacGyver and Jarong on a dune and headed to them. Jarong was a huge ball of muscle towering over most men, he was humanoid with deer features. When Paul first met him he was helping move things at the recycling yard. He had cut his horns short to make life more maneuverable in the confines of a space station. Tough but not super bright, he was still good company. Now he had his antlers screwed on, a rocket launcher over his shoulder and a rifle in his hands. His body was painted for battle and the total effect was formidable.

MacGyver threw a beacon at Paul. “Put this on bike, it will show which side you are if anyone checks. Also show you are belonging to me,” he laughed heartily.

“Over hill is ship, it hasn’t left.” He showed them the screen on his scanner. “We will get ship.”

He walked to the top of the dune and fired a shot directly at the ship.

“Good, no one home, Shige you must climb through blast hole and check no one at there.” Jarong will lift. Paul and I will cover.”

“This is the first time I feel lucky to have no legs,” said Paul horrified at the idea.

“Let's go” said Macguiver with that he climbed up onto his truck, Jarong stepped onto the deck like it was a giant skateboard and they sped over the dune.

Shige rolled his eyes “Ready?”

“Ready,” Paul replied.

Their speeder shot forwards and caught up with the others as they got to the craft. Jarong jumped off and ran to the ship gesturing for Shige to climb. Shige parked under the ship and set Paul up with the laser rifle. See you soon. He pulled a pistol from his belt and Jarong boosted him up. To his relief, a quick search revealed that the ship was empty, Shige breathed a sigh realizing he hadn't been breathing. It was less than a third the size of their ship. He lowered the doors and came out.

“Good job fast boy! Place beacon on dashboard. Then is ours, not other scavenger's” MacGyver threw him a large box with an aerial.

Shige did as he was asked.

“Good. Now more ships. You stay. We go. Make it that no one takes this ship.” Then they were off leaving Paul and Shige to defend the prize.

Shige drove the vibrobike into the ships loading bay and shut the door. Inside it was eerily quiet after the noise and drama of the battle.

“What now” Paul whispered.

“Why are you whispering” asked Shige in a hushed voice.

Paul shrugged. “Do you think you we can fly this.”

He piggy backed Paul through to the cockpit and placed him in the captain's chair. It looked similar to their ship and sort of like a hover bike but didn’t reveal much else.

“Ok, you stay here, and study and I will check our surroundings."

He maneuvered some crates so he could look out through the blast hole. A hover bike sped down the dune and cut past their ship taking a pot shot at it. Two beings were riding it. They gave him a wave when they saw him, but Shige knew they were checking to see if they could claim the spaceship. Hours passed before MacGyver called them.

“You are still at ship. Good. We are at new ship, Jarong shot ship, cannot fly. Talking with local tribe about deal. Be ready to come.”

Another hour passed. Amataya contacted them and said the battle was over. They relayed their situation.

“Is there any food on board?” she asked.

“Great idea,” said Paul.