Chapter 42: End Manoeuvre

Varangr heard the screams of surprise, the gunfire, and the boots pounding along the deck.

"What is that!" he blurted. "What's happening!"

"The spawners are coming," Sergeant Ledoyen grumbled. Clutching her wounded side, she raised her pistol.

"Oh, god!"

"We knew they'd come for us sooner or later."

"No, not them!" Varangr pointed at his scopes. "This!"

Grimacing in pain, Sergeant Ledoyen leaned over the back of his pilot seat and looked over his shoulder at the console.

Outside, the wolf pack of enemy ships closed in.

"Are they on us?" she asked.

"Not yet," said Varangr. "But they will be soon if we don't scoot on outta here and find another rock to hide behind."

"Then scoot!"

"One false move and they'll have us."

"So scoot carefully."

Varangr barked a fatalistic laugh. "Aye-aye, Sarge."

He threw the lever, releasing Red Myra's metal grip from the rock they'd latched onto.

Red Myra floated away from the ugly ball of dirt.