Infiltration (Mindspace Book 1): A Cadicle Space Opera Adventure

CHAPTER 1

Captain Kira Elsar raced through the desolate concrete corridor past darkened research labs. "Retreat!" she shouted into her comm.

Behind her, footsteps echoed from deeper within the underground MTech facility. Too many footsteps.

A shout sounded behind her, then a spray of plasma fire lit up the hall. Kira's HUD politely informed her that hostile forces had been detected nearby. Really helpful, thanks.

She ducked behind a collection of pipes protruding from the wall. It was terrible cover, but she'd take what she could get.

Glancing toward the exit, she noticed Ari peeking around a bend in the corridor.

"I thought I ordered a retreat, soldier," Kira said over her comm.

"That was before you got yourself cornered," Ari Lanmore, a lance corporal on her team, replied. "No one gets left behind."

Kira couldn't help grinning behind the blacked-out faceplate of her helmet. She loved Tararian Guard honor, especially in a time like this. "Lay down some cover fire on my mark. I'm going to try some fancy footwork."

"You've got it."

"Now!" Steeling her resolve, Kira bolted from behind the pipes.

Her powered armor propelled her down the hall while plasma blasts flew in either direction. She'd only gone three strides when a new warning flashed on her HUD—the concentrated enemy fire was about to overload her suit's defenses. Without thinking, she spun in a series of swift circles to diffuse the load on the armor's electrified skin.

After seven awkward strides of spinning and skipping, Kira made it to the corner where Ari was hunkered down. She leaped the final step to safety.

"Ma'am, you are a graceful angel," Ari said over the comm. His opaque helmet hid his face, but there was no mistaking the amusement in his voice.

"We speak of this to no one." Kira snatched a concussion grenade from a pouch on her tactical belt and tossed it back down the hall, then she pressed herself against the wall.

Ari followed her lead.

A moment later, Kira's HUD lit up with a flash and heat signature. The helmet muffled the explosion, but she could feel it reverberate through the wall at her back. Try walking away from that, fokers! That's what you get for burning my new armor.

Dust and debris flew down the corridor. When the particulates began to settle, Ari poked his head around the corner.

"Clear," he announced. "You do realize that your entire dance down the hall is documented on my combat recorder, right?"

"And that will be filed with the mission report and shown to no one." Kira glared up at the huge soldier through her faceless helmet.

"Yes, ma'am, I'd never think of sharing."

Liar. The video would be uploaded to the galactic Net before dinner. She'd be a viral sensation.

Kira rolled her hazel eyes. "At least select a tasteful song to set it to, okay?"

Ari bust out laughing again. "I was thinking it'd go great with—"

The walls shook anew with a concussive boom and series of thuds.

What in the stars was that? Kira swapped places with Ari and refreshed the info display on her HUD. When she checked the hall around the corner, she was greeted by the sight of a mech twice her height.