Today's Reading
Beyond the immediate area, a perimeter fence surrounded Wallops, a large number of buildings visible along with rows of grounded aircraft, hangars, orbital lifters, and a variety of military defensive equipment.
"It looks like they're ready to fight an army," one of the passengers close to Owen grumbled. "How long is this going to take?"
"Why were we diverted from Tanegashima?" another complained. "I have a meeting in Nagasaki in six hours! Even a suborbital taxi won't get me there in time!"
Once on the concrete of the spaceport field, the mass of passengers opened up a bit, some crowding forward to try to get through the security screening first. The air was hot and muggy, the slight breeze offering little relief, a far cry from the comfortable weather predicted before they landed.
Selene looked around them, slowly appraising everything that could be seen. "Kayl, I know we talked about no more suicidal plans, but I don't see any way both of us are getting out of this. We could try surrendering."
"Selene, I can tell from here that the soldiers have charged energy weapons and mag rifles. You can see how pumped up they all are, nervous and edgy. The moment they know who you are, they'll kill you."
"I know."
"I'll do the diversion, then," Owen said, trying not to get too rattled thinking about what that meant. "They may not kill me right off. You get free while I'm distracting them."
"I'll do the diversion," Selene said. "You'll get free. You know they're going to come after me the moment they realize it's you and not me."
"They're going to kill you," Owen repeated. "If it has to be one of us—"
"You don't get to decide that, Selene."
"You're talking like we have a choice," Selene said. "We can't afford to take too long to decide this. The fewer passengers left unscreened, the less cover we have. Krysta, get ready to—"
"No," Krysta abruptly said. She'd been passive and quiet up to that point. "You saved me. I'm going to save you."
With no more warning than that, before either Owen or Selene could react, Krysta yanked the UV Aversive hat off Selene and bolted toward the far side of the security perimeter.
"Krysta!" Selene gasped, horrified. Both she and Owen stood, frozen, for a few precious seconds. As the entire security apparatus focused on the fleeing figure of Krysta, her large hat easily visible, Selene spun about, grabbing Owen's hand and yanking him in the opposite direction. "Damn that girl!" she sobbed.
"Why did she—?" Owen began, feeling sick as he heard the first shots being fired. Not the snap of stunners, but the thunder of energy bolts and the crack of bullets fired from mag pistols and rifles.
"We have to make sure it's not in vain," Selene said, her voice ragged with emotion. "Damn her! She was supposed to live."
Most of those in the crowd were surging away from where the security forces were converging on Krysta's path. Selene and Owen moved with them, coming up against one of the security checkpoints, the two guards remaining there craning their heads to try to see what was happening.
Selene hit them before either knew their target was here instead of somewhere out there.
Owen grabbed the mag rifle one of the guards had dropped as she fell, following Selene as she ran across the concrete to a nearby tactical vehicle with a single security officer standing by it.
The officer tried to get out his sidearm, but Selene was moving as quickly as if possessed by a demon, one hand knocking him down while the other grabbed the ID / key card off the officer.
"Swap!" Selene told Owen, tossing the key card to him.
Owen tossed her the rifle, jumping into the driver's seat and bringing the engine online.
Selene slammed her door as Owen gunned the engine, producing a sudden roar as the backup power immediately kicked in. The vehicle tore off down the field, guards scattering away before turning to fire.
"She's down!" Selene shouted, sounding torn between sorrow and rage. "Krysta is down!" She lowered the window, aiming her mag rifle at the swarm of drones starting to head for the vehicle.
Owen swung the vehicle past a parked service van, thinking that Selene could never score a hit manually aiming from a car moving like this.
He heard the crack of the bullet, moving at supersonic speed, and in the rearview saw the nearest drone shatter.
...
