Slingers (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 1)

Chapter 29

Just as Gottlieb was about to pull the trigger, his radio blared with sudden static, making him cringe, and he activated the transmitter. "What? What is it?" A technician's panicked voice could be heard through the speaker. "Sir, we just detected a large Resistance force entering our field! They have intent to attack! Our shields are still rebooting! If we don't leave now, they'll take us down like flies!" Nolun's heart soared. The Resistance had finally managed to notice. When Koil was in the security station, Nolun had instructed him to activate a small signal that would broadcast to the Resistance frequency, and briefly explain what was going on. Now, they were finally coming to the rescue. But, then Nolun's heart dropped when he realized that they would fire on the ship regardless due to the fact that they technically disobeyed orders, and that they needed to destroy the ship thoroughly to get to the Piece. Even if the GDF couldn't defeat the Resistance, the Renegade would most likely be destroyed before they could get out of range. Nolun saw the look on Gottlieb's face as he received the information, and it was one of annoyance and frustration. Nolun decided to take this moment and roll with it. He walked forward, and raised his hands up in a defensive state. "It's over Gottlieb. Our signal got out. The Resistance will be invading this ship any second." Gottlieb stared at Nolun like he was an annoying fly that had flown close to his face. He bared his teeth like a dog and growled at Nolun, clearly furious with the days events. "And who exactly do you think you are?" Nolun smirked, staring down at Gottlieb. "My name's Nolun Metreo." Gottlieb looked unimpressed. "Oh, you've never heard of me? Well, you're about to." Like a flash of lightning, Nolun drew his repeater and fired a shot...directly at the pack holding the Piece.

At least, that's what Gottlieb thought. In actuality, the pack contained a tear gas grenade that Nolun had acquired from Bunker and stored inside. And the bullet that Nolun had just shot pierced the pack, and subsequently the casing of the grenade, setting it off, spraying gas in the faces of Gottlieb and the soldiers. Then, just as quickly, Nolun fired off another shot, directly at Gottlieb. But, instead of a killshot, the gas made Gottlieb fall backwards, and the bullet just missed his head, creating a glancing blow across his face, but still knocked him off his feet and unconscious. Taking the cue, Andress and the twins fired at the two soldiers, taking them both out. Just as Andress focused her scope on the unmoving body of Gottlieb, Nolun pushed the barrel down, shaking his head. "No. There's no time. In a few minutes the Resistance is going to blow this ship apart. He'll die either way." Andress looked down at the body, then nodded grimly. The four of them took off down the hallway, and Andress activated her comlink. "Bunker! Get the Renegade ready for takeoff! We're coming in hot!" "I'll do my best, boss!" Bunker said, sounding a bit worried. "The area's swarming with Resistance and GDF fighters! We're gonna have a hell of a time taking off!" Andress shook her head. "Just make it work! ETA 2 minutes!" The four of them ran down the hallway, each carrying weapons, and then, they finally made it to the hangar with the Renegade inside it. As they made it, Andress tried to close the doors, but the console seemed to be locked out. "Shedoa! The console's busted!" As she spoke, a bullet whizzed past her head, making her duck behind cover, as several GDF soldiers coming up the hallway fired at them. As they all went to fire back, Edvard sighed. "Can't we go 2 minutes without someone shooting at us?!"

Nolun fired his repeater, and saw Andress and the twins pinned down next to him. They couldn't make it to the Renegade without risking being shot. They had to think of something, fast. The hangar was already shaking from the repeated damage it was taking from the Resistance fighters. They fired round after round, but the soldiers seemed to keep coming. "Last mag!" Andress called out as she reloaded her rifle. Nolun looked and saw the twins were running low as well. Andress looked up, and then he saw an idea flash across her face. She spoke into her comlink. "Bunker! Turn the Renegade around and shoot the door!" "Boss, the area's too small! If we turn her around, she could cause serious damage!" Andress shook her head. "Bunker...Bronson...please..." There was silence, then the Renegade's engines activated, caing winds to fly around the small hangar. The ship slowly and carefully turned itself around, and the cannons at the front of the ship began to shoot down the hallway containing the soldiers, giving the four of them cover. "GO! NOW!" Andress shouted, and the four kept their heads down as they ran to the back of the ship, and then jumped up into the back of the cargo bay ramp. Andress was the last one up, and Nolun grabbed her by the hand, pulling her close to him, smiling. She was as well. She turned past him and shouted to the cabin. "Bunker! Full reverse thrust! We are out of here!" The ship began to pull back...but was hit by a rocket from a launcher fired by a soldier in the hallway. The ship rocked backwards, and Andress lost her balance and fell out of the back. Nolun lost his grip on her and reached out for her as she fell. "ANDRESS!" He yelled. Bunker saw that the doors to the hangar were about to close, and closed the cargo ramp, and flew backwards as the hangar doors shut. Nolun ran up to the cabin and yelled at Bunker and Dante. "TURN US AROUND! GO BACK FOR HER!" Bunker looked up at him. "We can't! The doors are magnetically sealed! We need to leave the area now!" Nolun grabbed Bunker and pulled him close. "I DON'T CARE! TURN US AROUND YOU SON OF A-" Dante suddenly grabbed Nolun and slammed him against the wall. "IT'S OVER, NOLUN. She's gone." A look came over Nolun's face, one of pure blankness, and he walked off slowly, into his cabin. As the Resistance bombers flew across the Avalon Zeta several times, a low sobbing could be heard from his room.