Adventures of a Drunkard Pilot

Chapter 17: One Wrong Step

"Delta!" I shouted as a rocket exploded next to the ship, rocking it and tossing me down from the gunner turret in the top of the troop bay.

"Yes, Staff Sergeant," Delta replied cooly as more flak hit around us.

"How close are we?" I shouted, getting back to my feet and climbing back up the ladder. At the top of the short ladder there was a gun turret with a pair of M2 .50 caliber machine guns.

"We are approximately 5 minutes and 24 seconds out from the current destination of The Cantina," he replied as i pressed down the dual butterfly triggers and sprayed green tracers towards another Osprey that was above us.

"Step on it!" I heard Mitch yell from the back of the ship. He had sat down at the console in the back of the bay that controlled the 4 .30 caliber machine guns on the back of the ship.

"The engines are already pushed past the safe overpower for the damage they've taken," Mac yelled from the pilot seat. "If i give them any more juice they're gonna turn this bird into a fireball!"

"Fuck!" I yelled, spraying another Osprey as my original target lost an engine and dropped below my view. As i targeted another ship, i was rocked by an explosion to the right of my turret.

"Port side 105mm cannon has been destroyed," Omega said, "along with part of the left wing. We gotta bail."

"Mac drop the Frames and set to eject!" I shouted as i slid down from my turret. "Tex grab her," I pointed to Cameron, who was still passed out, "Smith set the auto destruct."

"EVERYONE OUT NOW!" Mac yelled from the cockpit before i could say anything else. I glanced up into the cockpit and out the front window, and to my horror saw a swarm of missiles, probably over 100 of them, coming at us.

"BAIL!" i yelled, punching open the door with my robotic arm and grabbing a parachute off of the wall. i tossed one to everyone, who all slipped it on as they ran to the door and jumped. Mitch came last with a look of pure adrenaline, I tossed him one, then grabbed one and threw myself out of the door as hard as i could. Gravity immediately took over, but i had only fallen a dozen feet or so before the missiles hit the ship. The force of the terrible massive explosion knocked me into Mitch, which to my absolute horror knocked him into the path of an incoming ship. He tried to flail to get around it, but his right arm didn't get clear in time.

Through the rush of the wind all i could hear was a dull THUMP as Mitchell's right arm was sucked into the starboard engine of the ship. His body went ridged with pain for a second, then limp as the engine housing tossed him away. The engine caught fire and as it passed by me it exploded. I was watching Mitch's limp body fly through the air, so i didnt see the massive piece of debris that caught me across the thighs. All i felt was a slight pain and a great pressure. I looked down and my legs were gone. I saw the blood freely flowing out of my stumps as my body started going into shock. in a daze i reached my human hand up to my parachute release and grabbed it, but when i tried to pull it i didnt have the strength.

"No..." i whispered as i weakly pulled at it. The ground was coming up fast now. I had to get my chute out. In one last attempt to save myself, i yanked at the cord with everything i had. finally it gave and i felt the chute pop open behind me.

Too late.

Just as the chute opened completely i hit the ground. I tried to break the fall with my arms, but i hit so fast that my human right forearm snapped like a twig and jabbed through the skin on my arm. My robot arm held, but the shoulder it was connected to dislocated. i screamed as the pain hit me all at once, then i went face first into the mud and passed out, going into the black.