351 Side Story Chapter 3 (2/2)
”But…” Ay'eni struggled between greed and survival for a long three seconds. ”Fine! Take care of yourselves! We're pulling out! Everybody, pack up and prepare for departure!”
”There's no time! Get out NOW!” Lance barked. ”We can't risk the Carrier!”
”Blast it!” Ay'eni slammed his fist on his armrest. ”Helm! Take us into high orbit! Right now! We'll have to bring everyone else back on dropships!”
By then, the Skirmishers had caught up to Lance, leaving only the Scout trying to catch up to them. They were within sight of the East Mountain, but even as they ran, tremor after tremor grew stronger.
”She's getting closer!” the Artillery pilot gulped, desperately wishing his mech could move faster.
”I see her!” the Scout behind them yelped. ”Sending you video!”
On screen, Lance saw a tiny dot zip up into the sky, and then drop down again, much nearer and more visible than before. It landed and the image shook.
”Oh, scrap.” Lance glanced at his map feed. The Scout was already nearby, which meant that the Princess was almost on top of them too. ”Asred! Asred, we need evac, NOW!”
Ay'eni responded. ”I've already diverted the dropship directly to your current position. It should be there in fifteen minutes.”
”Fifteen minutes?! We don't even have five!” Lance barked. ”If we don't get evac in the next two minutes, we're all going to die!”
There was a short silence. Then, ”Which next of kin do you want me to send your personal belongings to?”
”Ay'eni!” Lance howled.
”Fine! I'll set down a beacon for a rendezvous! You have two minutes to reach it and evac!” Ay'eni growled. ”Let it never be said that we Quarin treat our hirelings as worthless!”
A beacon appeared on his map.
Sniper groaned. ”Scrap. It's too far. We're not going to make it.”
”At least… not all of us are going to make it.” Artillery said in a deathly tone.
”That's it. We're cutting our losses. Artillery, eject. Home in your ejection pod straight for the Asred or the Beacon. Either way works.” Lance gave up on the Heavy at that point. ”Can everyone else make it?”
”Probably.” Skirmisher 1 hesitated.
”Skirmishers, head straight for it. Don't stop for anything. Just run.” The two Skirmishers had a good chance of getting away. They were outfitted for mobility, after all. ”Scout? Can you make it?”
”I think so, yeah. But the Princess… she's going to catch up before we get there. You know that.”
Lance gritted his teeth. ”Not if I draw her away first. I can eject later…”
”NO!” four voices exclaimed at the same time.
”Boss, don't! Leave it to me! I'll draw her away and eject later.” Scout offered.
”I can't ask you to do that. It's my responsibility…”
”Forget responsibility! Boss, you're in the only truly valuable piece of hardware we have left! We're all counting on the payday that's coming when we sell that Acrobat! We have to get it back safely, no matter what!”
Lance paused. Then, ”Sniper, can you come and take over the Acrobat?”
”What?!”
”I have an idea.”