Pax Galactica - A Space Opera

Chapter 20 - The Long Shadow

The attackers fired back with thin rods they held in one of their four arms. These kinetic blasts had no trouble pulverizing the unshielded Xalaxian guards, leaving nothing behind but gold mist. Two more guards were killed in this way just as the rangers arrived.

Aranarth aimed his heavy ion pistol at one of the attackers before he was even holding it. It slipped into his hand from the higher dimensions just as he pulled the trigger. The beam of ionized particles punched straight through the shield and blew a large hole in the attacker's torso. She slumped down against the wall, dead.

The other two attackers turned and fired at Aranarth. The first shot crashed his shield in a burst of purple sparks that turned black just before the shield lost integrity. The second shot struck him center mass. Particles of his suit were thrown into the air and he went skidding backwards onto the ground. Vapor rose from the wound.

From this prone position Aranarth squeezed off another shot, causing the head of the second attacker to explode.

The last attacker fled through the holes in the walls, trying to cover her retreat with wild blasts from her kinetic wand. Decker took off after her, only narrowly avoiding a blast out of sheer luck. The attacker continued to fire and Decker was forced to take cover, allowing the attacker to gain a decent lead on him.

The attacker jumped out of the hole in the building's exterior by coiling her four legs and launching herself into the air. She landed in a repulsorcraft, which dipped slightly from her weight. She immediately seized the controls and sped away as fast as the little vehicle could take her. Decker saw her disappearing into the cluster and took to the air himself. He slingshotted after her using bursts of AG.

The repulsorcraft started to descend, bringing itself out of the open air and towards the maze of buildings below.

<I can't see that repulsorcraft on my sensors,> the Suit informed him, <it's got some kind of equivtech cloaking device. If we lose visual we're going to lose it entirely.>

The fleeing Xalaxian attacker began to fire behind her at Decker, her shots going wild as she attempted to hit a moving target, from a moving platform, all while trying to pilot at the same time. Several of the blasts hit the sides of tall buildings, blowing away chunks.

<I need a railgun,> he told the Suit, <Perjurer-class.>

<I am not authorized to provide that,> the suit informed him. <You need permission from Ranger Aranarth first.>

A kinetic blast hit one of the force field tubes connecting the buildings, and the entire thing lost field integrity. Several Xalaxians inside fell to their deaths.

<There isn't time,> thought Decker.

<Those are my orders,> replied the Suit.

Decker had the unusual sensation of wanting to wring his own neck.

He mentally checked in with his implant, saw that he could use the Overdog as a makeshift communications network, and shot Aranarth a signal through it.

<I'm just behind the last attacker. Being fired on. Thanks to your dumb orders my sprelling suit won't warp me in any weapons so tell it I have authorization.>

<Absolutely not,> replied Aranarth, <you're inside Cluster Prime. It's too dangerous. There's too much of a chance for collateral damage.>

Another barely aimed kinetic blast tore through the sky and pulverized a repulsorcraft that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

<That ship has already warped,> signaled Decker, <this sprellhead is shooting everything in sight. It's less dangerous just to let me take her out.>

<No,> replied Aranarth. <Not while you're inside the cluster. You're too inexperienced.>

Decker couldn't decide whose neck he wanted to wring anymore.

Decker started to close in on the repulsorcraft. He suit wasn't much faster than the craft but it was just fast enough to start to catch up. Of course, this also made him an easier target to hit.

Another blast from the kinetic wand hit Decker straight on. His shield popped in a spray of purple and black.

Decker continued to fling himself forward with as much force as he could. He was almost there. Just a few more meters. The Xalaxian would be no match for him if he could get himself aboard the repulsorcraft...

He dodged and weaved as best he could, trying to make for a difficult target. It didn't do him any good; he was too close. A kinetic blast hit him full force in the chest. The power from the attack sent him flying backwards, spinning out of control.

Decker passed through a hologram of a Xalaxian and crashed into the side of a building, shattering a window, before dropping out of the sky to the ground below. He was aware of lying in a crater, trying to sort through a million different sources of pain, before he lost consciousness.