Alder awoke with a start, sweat dripping off of him. He fumbled in the dark for his helmet momentarily before his fingers wrapped around the neck clasp. Sliding he headpiece on, he checked the time on the view-port's HUD.
0326, 15 OCT 2134.
Ember was already up, cradling her submachine gun where she sat, pitted with her back facing the corner. The young woman's eyes watched Alder's clumsy movements as he clambered to his feet and raced outside, his boots squishing on the still-wet soil.
Nova's feminine voice cut through the internal earpiece. "Pilot, we have an unidentified aircraft, eastbound, flying at 70 knots per hour, three-zero mikes out."
Alder's blood turned to liquid nitrogen as he responded, "Roger that, Nova. Can you identify the aircraft type?"
A moment passed before Nova replied. "Affirmative. Bogey is a V-29 Duchess Vertical Take-off/Landing vehicle. Standard armament consists of two nose-mounted 7.62 multi-barreled machine guns. Standard armor is minimal."
Alder's mind raced a mile a minute, trying to come up with possible defenses against the rapidly-approaching unknown. No way his rifle would be able to punch through the armor plating, even if it was classified as 'minimal'. Suddenly, two loose ends clicked in his mind. "Nova, what shell does your gun take?"
The machine's eye focused on Alder and seemed to narrow as Nova's sentient A.I. system grasped what the pilot was suggesting. "My IBR is chambered for M-579 cartridges, 35 millimeter, armor-piercing." The Iapetus swayed to face westward, where the VTOL was rapidly approaching on the horizon. "Do you have a plan, Pilot?"
Alder's focused drifted from the machine to a decent-sized copse of oak trees on the opposite side of the stream. "Yeah." He indicated the location with an extended hand. "Take cover over there. Engage the bogey on my signal."
"Roger that, Pilot." The ground trembled as the machine trotted to the spot, and going into a crouch upon embedding herself in the patch.
Alder turned to Ember, who had stood in the doorway for the duration of the former's conversation. The man pointed back into the building as he shakily said, "Get to the highest point in this building. I'll be with you ASAP." A humorless grin stretched his mouth. "We're going bird hunting."
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The Collapse
Science FictionLong ago, humanity ruined its home world of Gaia with quantum weapon fire and synthetic production of soldiers. High-ranking officials were able to board battleships and disappear into the stars, but the rest of the population were left to fend for...
