Kwaide (The Ammonite Galaxy Series, Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter 25

LEDIN AND THE other Kwaidians who had been left to defend the orbital platform were thirsty for information.

“We have been sitting up here like Xianthan turkeys in a cool pen,” he said, “and absolutely nothing has happened at all. Then your ship suddenly appears, First Six, with obvious signs of combat and no sign of you. We didn’t know what to think. I am glad to see that you have suffered no harm.”

Six touched fists with him in greeting, and gave one of his rare broad smiles. “Me too! There were a couple of sticky moments back there.”

“What about the nuclear missiles?” 

“Safely destroyed. For the time being we don’t have to worry about a nuclear attack.”

Ledin’s face illuminated. “That is great news!”

Six tilted his head to one side. “Although they still have their conventional weapons, as I found out to my cost, and they are hard to evade.”

“How many ships are there altogether?”

“We tagged ten.”

“TEN?”

Six held up a hand. “I know,” he said, “we only have one and a half ships up against their ten. It isn’t going to be easy.”

“First Six, it is suicide!”

“Is there another way?”

Ledin and the others looked down. They knew that there was little else they could do.

“Then we must refuel as fast as we can, and patch up the Resistance so that she can fly.”

Ledin straightened up. “That is done, First Six. We need only refuel and replenish stocks on this ship. Two hours, and we will be ready to fly.” He looked at the console on the wall nearby, pushed a couple of buttons, and then gave his verdict. “The Sellites will be in range of conventional weapons in twelve hours.”

“Some are bound to get through,” mused Six. He looked up, and met Diva’s gaze directly. There was an unspoken question in his look.

“I will go down to the planet,” she said immediately.

“Thank you. Grace?”

“If you want, but wouldn’t I be of more use piloting, this time?”

Six shook his head. “Not this time, Grace. You and Diva …” His eyes met Diva’s once more, “will be of more use down on Kwaide. If you don’t mind …”

Grace nodded her acquiescence, and she and Diva prepared to take a shuttle pod down to the planet’s surface. 

Then something occurred to her. “Six?” she said. 

“Hmm?”

“We can fire weapons from the shuttle pods.”

There was a long pause. Grace got the impression that Six was thinking about more than just the logistics of her statement.

He gave a sigh. “Yes, but only fairly light calibre.”

“They might be enough to explode a missile?”

He gave a reluctant nod. “It is unlikely, but possible.”

Diva chipped in. “And if not we can use the pods as decoys. The heat signature might just confuse the missiles. I know they are intelligent, but not that intelligent!”

Six felt a dropping sensation inside his stomach. The other men were listening curiously. He was sharply aware that his decision could cost lives – and lives of people that he cared for.