Gray All Over

Chapter 7 - Then I Opened My Eyes

Sleeping on the way to Tantiss is difficult, but Hunter insists they attempt to, anyway. It is a better use of time than Crosshair attempting to show Emerie how to use a crossbow. They have a blaster they could give her, but she preferred to stick to Omega's crossbow, just as Omega herself had picked up an energy bow long ago that she preferred over other weapons. It lasted with Crosshair growing increasingly frustrated, and Hunter called it off after Emerie nearly put a blaster hole through the wall mid-hyperspace.

The battle will be long and exhausting. They will need whatever rest they can get.

"We'll be exiting hyperspace soon," Hunter reports, rejoining them in the back.

"We will have to fly low to avoid scanners," Tech cautions.

"The base's scanners might detect us before we reach it," Emerie cautions. "The defenses are thorough."

"Then we'll detach from the science vessel's hull before then and infiltrate on foot," Hunter decides.

Crosshair lurches forward, expression tight and worried. "The jungle is deadly."

"There are creatures there," Emerie warns, "The base was located on Tantiss to ensure any escaped prisoners would be... stopped by either the hounds, or the creatures in the jungle."

"Well, Crosshair made it out before. It's a risk we're gonna have to take," Hunter replies.

"How's Echo gonna get off the ship?" Wrecker worries.

"That is of little concern," Tech reassures, "He will find a way, as he always does."

The alarm beeps up front.

"Get into position," Hunter orders, and he and Tech move for the controls. Wrecker, Crosshair, and Emerie settle in the back.

It has been a very long time since Tech has flown a ship into what is no doubt about to become a shootout. They detach from the science vessel, and Tech drops the shuttle down to avoid scanners, but a group of fighters are already flying in their direction.

"That is not standard formation," Tech warns, watching the fighters slowly approaching.

The fighters start shooting.

Tech twists the shuttle around, dropping them into a wild nose-dive.

"Then they're expecting us," Crosshair hisses from the back.

Tech is uncertain as to how, but it is not fully illogical to believe Hemlock may have been anticipating this since he and Emerie never returned.

Hunter's on the guns, firing back.

The shuttle jolts as a few shots glance off its wings. That is something that would take time to fix though this is not the Marauder. They have little need to keep and fix it. The Marauder is gone. This ship is not their home.

Just as his armor is not his own, and his body is not his own. All he has is his mind and his squad, and that is all they have ever needed. Soon, Omega will be home, and they will be able to put this life behind them forever.

"They'll activate the laser canons," Crosshair warns.

"That would have been information to share earlier," Tech informs, irked, spinning the ship aside, but not in time to avoid another hit, this time to the hull.

"The deflector shields are failing," Hunter warns. "Try to get us closer to the surface."

"That is what I am doing!" The guns on this shuttle provide very little cover fire – they are not movable, which is making it very hard to shoot at the pursuing shuttles. They are able to take down one of them as they crash but there's still more ships giving pursuit.