Night City Aliens: The Wandering Planet

Ch 18: Interlude

The group stared out at the approaching vehicles on the horizon.

"We'll escape when the Skullship takes off. Think you can buy us a few minutes, Vinny?" V asked.

"If you're expecting me to talk all those soldiers down, then no," he deadpanned.

"Shit."

"Don't worry," Vinny said. "I'm already calling backup." He opened the messenger app on his cyberoptics and mentally typed.

"It's V. I hope you guys are bringing the big guns." The words appeared on the edge of his vision. Satisfied with the message, he sent it to Iwata and Marcus. A response came a few seconds later.

"Yea, we thought that was you over the radio," Iwata's response read. "Good news is we've made all the requested preparations."

"Bad news?"

"Your plan pissed off too many big wigs. You have to make it to Trauma Center yourself."

"Fuck," Vinny sighed.

"Are we dead?" V asked him.

"Not yet, but we're relying on luck at the moment."

Militech made it to the crash site first. Three military vans screeched to a halt near the Skullship. They were joined by two armored AVs landing nearby. A full platoon of soldiers poured out of the five vehicles and pointed their guns at the group.

"Down on the ground! Now!" the lead soldier commanded.

"Vinny? What's the plan?" V cried.

"Do what they say for now," Vinny said. He got off Sylvia and helped V off as well. He got the green woman into kneeling position before raising his hands to eye level.

"My name is Vincent Sharp of the Arasaka corporation!" Vinny shouted over the roaring engines. "Under the Treaty of Unification, you must let us return to Night City for medical assistance!"

"Fat chance, Arasaka! On the ground!"

Vinny began to slowly comply but froze when three Kang Tao AVs arrived. Two of the aircraft circled overhead while one landed near the Militech AVs. A squad of about nine Kang Tao soldiers piled out. Half kept their guns trained on Vinny and the extraterrestrials, while the others approached Militech with their guns down. It was impossible to hear their conversation over the deafening buzz of several engines.

Another group of vehicles were approaching, this one looking like it belonged to Night Corp. They were hanging back, but it was unlikely it would remain that way for long.

"Vinny," V yelled to the man next to her.

"What's up?" He looked at her and saw that Sylvia and Wander had joined them in surrender.

"Sylvia wants to know how dead we are."

"Not at all," he smirked. "We got lucky. With all these corporate soldiers dog piling each other, they must negotiate or wait for commands from higher up. If any of them act now, the others will open fire."

Another corporation arrived with a single AV and some drones. Vinny didn't get a good look at it, as the Skullship's thrusters burst to life. The sudden blast forced everyone to cover their ears. The massive space vessel began to levitate, kicking up the desert soil. All the corporate soldiers opened fire on the Skullship to no avail.

"Now!" V yelled.

Sylvia sprang into action. Using the dust cloud for cover, she placed the green woman on her back as Vinny and Wander climbed on. She took off as fast as her Zbornak legs could carry her. Moving like a rocket, Sylvia was halfway back to the city before any of the soldiers noticed they were gone.