Soldiers of the Stars

Chapter 35: Ain't Easy Being Queasy

SOLARA PROVIDENCE, BEXAS

CAPTAIN GUNNER

     Fate wanted me dead today. Of this, I was sure.

     I woke with sharp abdominal pains and a thunderous pounding in my head. On top of that, my breakfast wanted to make a reappearance. I should've just stuck with Shifty's caf, I thought, regretting all of the rich food I ate these past few days. Swallowing the discomfort, I forced myself into the gunship. "What's Winters' ETA?"

     "Rook reported about a minute ago. Infinity's Wake still has an hour till they arrive in this sector." Bry jumped onto the gunship and took her place beside me. She bundled her hair into a ponytail and mumbled through her teeth, holding her hair tie, "We're gonna be setteng ducks up here ef we don't leafe now."

     I cursed under my breath. Our numbers were far shorter than ideal without the 506th with us for initial contact. And at any moment, the Sacred Mercy would show up on the Seppie's sonar. We had to reach the ground before their fighters could intercept us. Hopefully, an ambush wasn't waiting for us on the surface.

     Snap!

     "Dank farrik." Bryka held up her broken tie as her golden hair fell over her shoulders. I fished for one of the extra hair ties I started carrying in my belt's side compartment and handed it to her.

     A soft smile brushed across her features. "You're amazing. You know that?"

     I pulled on my helmet. "Couldn't hurt to remind me now and then. Otherwise, I'd forget."

     Sergeant Balao pulled himself onto the platform, the rest of Indigo trailing behind. "Gungi is safe with Blazer Squad and the Colonel, Ma'am."

     Bry blew out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sergeant. If Contrail could hurry it up, this bird needs to take off."

     A lower clone voice called from outside the gunship. "Contrail was resigned to a starfighter for this mission, Ma'am. I'll be your pilot for this one." Bryka and I leaned to get a glimpse of our new pilot.

    I could not place him, nor did I recognize the markings on his helmet. I took it upon myself to learn all our pilots. Then I noticed the burn scars blotted across his face under his visor. "Highwire? Welcome back, Vod."

     "Never got to thank you two for saving me on Mygeeto. General, I was thrilled to learn you requested reassignment to my former station."

     "Glad to see you flying again, Highwire."

     "Me too, Ma'am. We'll pull out in five."

✭✭✭✭✭

     Highwire dropped us one klick from the village of Iana, the last seen location of the fallen Commando, and worse, the last known location of Hub and Vance. When we tried to contact our ARCs, static popped over the comms. I reassured the men it was nothing more than Seppie interference. I wanted to believe my words, but my hope fled after our fourth failed attempt.

     The outskirts of Solara looked right out of the fables in Bryka's books. Blue, red, and yellow flowers lined the path into town, nestled comfortably between gentle hills darted with forest and a lake glistening beyond the fields. Colorful ribbons laced back and forth from one building to the next. The huts, made of rock and clay, each had vividly painted doors with matching trim.

     Despite the vibrance of the town, an uneasiness rolled over me as an eerie silence drifted in the phantom breeze. The chatter faded the closer we got to Iana. This village could be a trap. The Seppies certainly had the advantage as we marched up the road. But where were the civies?