Ronin

by Jan Domagala

  GENERAL SOLON WAS ON board the troop carrier sitting directly behind the pilot and co-pilot. The space was cramped and generally used by the weapons operator. It was fitted with two plasma cannons – one on the roof and the other on the underside of the craft. They could be operated either individually to fire on two different targets or in unison against the same target. The General was now in control.

  From the screen mounted on the controls he had seen Norsky get on board the Ground Hauler Stryder was driving and he ordered the pilot to close in on them. Taking the control stick in both hands he took careful aim at the vehicle. He wanted to persuade Stryder to stop without destroying the vehicle and killing him. Norsky had proven to be somewhat of a liability, unable to follow orders and in the future could prove to be a problem. If he survived this encounter he intended to deal with him at a later date. If he failed to survive this skirmish then that would be one thing less for the General to worry about.

  The targeting controls of the plasma cannons had locked onto the rear section of the vehicle; all he needed to do now was fire the weapon.

  COWBOY WAS SEATED AT the pilot’s controls of the shuttle. The engines had started to cool down after Solon had left it but not too much that when they were kicked in again they reached optimum efficiency within seconds. Initialising the thrusters, Cowboy steered the shuttle up into a hover then, realigning the thrusters for horizontal flight, he set off after the troop carrier.

  “We could have a problem here guys,” Hawk said as they all watched through the front viewport at the troop carrier in the distance.

  “I know what you’re going to say, sir, that thing’s armed and we’re not,” Storm said highlighting the problem they were about to face once they caught up with them.

  “Any ideas?” Hawk asked as he was rapidly becoming aware that things were beginning to unravel before his very eyes.

  “Well, we can’t face off against that thing, that’s for sure, but we could outrun it if need be. We just need to get Captain Stryder over here so we can use that advantage,” Cowboy said, not sure if his suggestion helped.

  “Yea! How the hell do we get him over here?” Hawk said almost to himself as he pondered Cowboy’s words.

  “I think I might have an idea,” Storm said and they all turned to look at him as a smile slowly crept across his features.

  SOLON FIRED THE LOWER plasma cannon once, nothing more than a warning shot really. The bolt struck the ground just to the rear of the vehicle kicking up a cloud of dust and pulverised a rock. The blast rocked the Ground Hauler so that it was almost thrown sideways; the rear section actually lifted off the ground by almost three feet then fell back down to the ground with a bone-jarring whump!

  Connecting through his NI Solon said, “That was just a warning shot Stryder, pull over or the next one will send you into orbit.”

  Stryder was not intimidated and he let it show. He said, “Go fuck yourself General, you want me alive so I don’t think you’ll risk killing me.”

  “Are you absolutely certain of that Captain? What I want is your blood. I don’t need you alive for that, do I? Now stop that vehicle and surrender to the inevitable.” Solon tried to keep his voice calm and not let Stryder see just how angry and frustrated he was getting.

  “If that’s the case then General, take your best shot,” Stryder said without hesitation, letting him know he wasn’t bothered by any threats from him.

  Solon was seething, he had hoped to intimidate him into at least slowing down but that wasn’t the case. He detected no slowing of the vehicle they were chasing so, taking the controls of the plasma cannons firmly in his hands, he took careful aim once more.

  If that’s the way he wanted to play it then that was fine by him. He would drag his stinking dead carcass from the wreckage of the Hauler himself.

  “CLOSE THAT GAP!” HAWK ordered as they all watched the troop carrier open fire on the Ground Hauler holding Stryder and Norsky. Turning to Storm he said, “Whatever you have in mind it had better work, we’ve just run out of time.”

  Turning away from Hawk, Storm said, “Cowboy, get us as close to that carrier as you can. Alongside it if possible so we can get a clear shot.”

  “Copy that, sir,” Cowboy replied increasing power to the shuttle’s thrusters. They all felt themselves pushed back in their seats as the shuttle leapt forward.

  Hawk’s brow creased as he wondered what his teammate had in mind.

  Leaving his seat Storm grabbed his Remm assault rifle from the rack and headed for the hatch.

  “What the hell do you intend to do with that?” asked Hawk.

  “I’m going to try and even the odds a little,” Storm replied. Hawk smiled knowing exactly what he had in mind.

  “I’ll lend a hand, it might work better if we all join in. Hacker you’re with us.” Hawk got out of his seat reaching for his assault rifle and followed Storm to the hatch.

  INSIDE THE CAB OF THE Hauler, Stryder turned to Norsky who had overheard the conversation between him and the General and smiled. “Hang on,” he said with a wink.

  The rear of the vehicle was lifted off the ground again and almost overturned as another plasma bolt struck the ground behind them. Inside the cab the two men were thrown from side to side as the concussion wave from the blast struck.

  Stryder saw his chance and hit Norsky full in the face with a back fist strike from his right hand. Norsky’s head was rocked back as blood from the impact sprayed out over the windscreen. Grabbing the back of his head with the same hand Stryder rammed Norsky’s face into the dashboard again and again leaving a bloody smear across it. Releasing his hold, he pushed the dazed form of his attacker away from him and lashed out with his right leg in a sidekick that struck Norsky in his side and sent him hurtling towards the door. The force of the kick sent him colliding with the door causing it to fling open and in the next moment he found himself flying through it into the open air.

  At the very last second, when he became aware of what was happening, Norsky reached out with a flailing right hand and his fingers closed on the edge of the door gripping tightly to prevent him leaving the vehicle.

  His legs swung free of the cab and collided with the front of the vehicle then he swung back, his shoulder almost tearing from the strain.

  While Norsky was thus engaged Stryder dived across the bench seat, feet first and slammed both feet into Norsky’s face as he swung back. The blow landed squarely on the Black Knight’s face knocking his head backwards with such force that it would have broken the neck of a normal man. Norsky was forced to release his tentative grip on the door as he was sent spinning through the air to land on the gnarled and pitted ground away from the vehicle.

  Just as he landed another blast from the plasma cannon on the troop carrier struck the ground close to him. The blast tore up the ground mere feet from him and showered him with debris from the impact. Heat from the blast seared his flesh, burnt his clothes and engulfed him in agony. All he knew for the next few moments was a world of pain until blackness took him.

  “COMING UP ON IT NOW, Guardian,” Cowboy said as he steered the shuttle closer to the troop carrier, his voice carrying over the NI link they all shared.

  “Hold her steady,” Storm replied as he got himself into position in the open hatchway. Either side of him were Hawk and Hacker. They were all strapped onto a harness so the buffeting from the wind outside would not drag them through the hatch into the air and to their certain deaths.

  The wind dragged at their clothes as it tried to grab and pull them out of the opening, but the straps held them secure.

  They were slightly above the troop carrier matching its speed and then Cowboy lowered the shuttle down until they were alongside it.

  “Hacker you aim for the flight deck, try and get the pilot, Captain Hawk and I’ll take care of their cannons,” Storm said as he took careful aim. He then added, “Fire when ready.”

  SOLON SAW A FIGURE come flying out of the cab of the Ground Hauler just a
s he fired the lower plasma cannon again. The blast caught whoever it was and flung the body high into the air before it came down in a heap on the uneven ground.

  “Hope to the Almighty that wasn’t you Stryder,” he said more to himself than anyone else, then fired again. This time the plasma bolt hit the rear section of the Ground Hauler throwing it several feet into the air to land with a bone jarring “whump!”

  An explosion wracked the vehicle and flames slowly began to spread out from the already damaged rear section by the previous near misses from the plasma bolts.

  “I’ve got you now,” Solon said when he saw the effects of his handiwork.

  STORM AND HAWK OPENED fire on the plasma cannons on the troop carrier. Solon was only using the one situated on the underside of the craft, as he couldn’t target the Ground Hauler properly from his position in the air with the topmost cannon. This made it difficult for Cowboy, who was piloting the shuttle, because he had to drop it down below the troop carrier slightly so that his men could target the lower cannon more accurately.

  The plasma fire from the two assault rifles hammered into the plasma cannon immediately destroying it. It caused a fireball as it exploded, pushing the troop carrier higher up into the air.

  Hacker missed with his first salvo aimed at the pilot’s cockpit as the craft was pushed upwards by the explosion on its underside, but keeping his wits about him he tracked his target with his assault rifle and kept firing until his shots landed on target. The plasma bolts burst through the Plexiglas windscreen of the troop carrier killing the pilot in a shower of blood and gore.

  Immediately the craft lurched and shuddered in mid-air as the death of the pilot meant all control of the craft was lost. Swiftly the co-pilot regained control, pulling it up moments before it crashed into the uneven ground below. As it was held it in a hover, General Solon saw the shuttle to their side and turned the remaining plasma cannon on top of the troop carrier around ninety degrees to aim at their attacker.

  Storm saw the action and screamed at his teammate, “Take evasive action NOW!”

  Cowboy steered the shuttle, banking the craft away just as General Solon let loose with a salvo from the plasma cannon.

  “Get us back around on that troop carrier, we have to stop it,” Hawk said through his NI to Cowboy.

  STRYDER WRESTLED WITH the controls of the huge ground vehicle after it hit the ground once more. There was a fire in the rear section that had almost been totally destroyed by the plasma bolts from the troop carrier.

  He knew he would have to get out of it and soon. There was a real danger of it all blowing up with him still in it.

  “I might need a lift a bit sooner than I thought,” Stryder said through his NI to Hawk.

  “We’re working on that as we speak Cap, we’re trying to get this troop carrier off your tail but it’s proving a bit of a nuisance,” Hawk replied through the same medium.

  “This Ground Hauler is about to blow, if you can force it down close to me, the blast when it does go should take care of it for the both of us,” Stryder suggested.

  “Good idea, I’ll see what I can do,” Hawk said, relaying what had been said to the rest of the team and a plan was rapidly formulated.

  Stryder kept the huge vehicle on as straight a path as he could, mindful of the time running out for the facility and for the Ground Hauler. It was getting dangerously close to the time when the fusion reactor back at the base went critical and wiped out everything around it. He knew he had to finish this as fast as he could and get off the planet with the Marines who had risked their lives to rescue him.

  Norsky was out of the picture. He was in no doubt he had been killed by his own men when he was thrown clear from the vehicle, then blasted by the plasma cannon. All that was left to do was take care of General Solon who was in the troop carrier above him and he could do that with the vehicle, but he had to get off first.

  Setting the autopilot, he opened the door and grabbed the rim above and pulled himself up onto the roof of the huge vehicle.

  “Okay guys do your stuff but be quick!” he said through his NI, hoping they could force the troop carrier down close enough for his plan to work or he could end up staying here with the rest of those doomed to die when the fusion reactor blew.

  “COWBOY, POSITION US over the troop carrier, right over the top of her and stay there, don’t let her grab any air,” Hawk shouted through to the pilot’s station.

  Cowboy steered the shuttle down over the top of the craft in question right over the plasma cannon and, as it had a limited elevation for the barrels, where they sat was the safest place to be. The plasma cannon’s barrels could rotate three hundred and sixty degrees but only had an elevation of forty-five degrees.

  “GET ME A CLEAR SHOT at that shuttle,” bellowed the General, even though he was seated close by the co-pilot. The air rushed in at them through the shattered Plexiglas windscreen as they powered forwards gradually being forced lower and lower.

  “I can’t, sir, she’s sitting right on top of us. I can’t take us higher without crashing into the shuttle.”

  “Then crash into it, just get us up and away from that Hauler, she’s about to blow,” Solon said as he watched the flames on the ground vehicle begin to reach the engine compartment just beneath the driver’s cab.

  “DON’T LET THEM GAIN any altitude till I tell you to move, okay Cowboy. When I say move, take us away from here and as fast as you can, is that clear?” Hawk said.

  “As crystal, sir! Holding her steady until you say otherwise,” Cowboy replied.

  Hawk turned to Storm and with a smile said, “It’s about to get interesting.”

  STRYDER SAW THE TROOP carrier try to gain some altitude and knew his time was running out. He had to move and fast. He saw his opportunity and braced himself. Crouching down with his powerful legs bunched beneath him like coiled springs, he hurled himself upwards towards the troop carrier almost ten feet above him.

  He timed his jump so that he caught hold of the landing strut closest to him, wrapping his arms around it and swinging his right leg up to throw that over it too, to secure his hold. He pulled himself up so that he was standing, albeit in a crouched position, on the horizontal strut. He then proceeded to clamber up the outside of the troop carrier.

  As he reached the top he sank down so he was the same height as the plasma cannon. He needed to crouch down as the shuttle was close by and the downward thrust from its engines threatened to throw him from his precarious perch.

  “You need to move off slightly so I can come aboard and quickly as the Ground Hauler will blow any second,” he said through the link initiated by his NI.

  As Cowboy brought the shuttle away a short distance the troop carrier instantly started to climb and Stryder was pressed down onto the roof. Then, at that precise moment, the vehicle beneath it exploded in a cataclysmic fireball.

  The co-pilot of the troop carrier vainly attempted to outrun the fireball and the occupants of the shuttle watched helplessly as fire engulfed the craft tearing and destroying everything and everyone on board.

  “Holy shit,” exclaimed Hawk as he saw the event unfold before his very eyes and he knew that they had failed in their mission.

  Just then, the fireball expanded outwards even more, as if something was pushing through from deep within the interior. Then a figure, engulfed in flames, came bursting through screaming at the top of his lungs flying straight at them. Their first instinct was to back off in fear, but then they all realised at the same time just who the figure was.

  “Stryder!” Hawk said incredulously. They all watched as he leapt from the troop carrier, which by that time was completely engulfed in the exploding fireball, to themselves a distance of over twenty-odd feet and getting wider with every second as Cowboy banked the shuttle away to avoid being blown up.

  On the flight deck Cowboy felt the shuttle being hit by something and asked, “What the hell was that?” He received no answer, as the others were all busy helping
the unrecognisable form of Stryder on board through the shuttle doors.

  Their own combat suits were flame-retardant and afforded them some protection against the living torch that was Kurt Stryder. His screams of pain were almost unbearable to them, but being the true professionals they undoubtedly were they set about the task of dousing the flames that were eating away at his flesh.

  “Go, go, go!” screamed Hawk to Cowboy. “Get us the hell out of here.” The young Marine needed no further encouragement, he steered the shuttle away from the exploding vehicle and up into the skies heading towards the ship in which they had arrived.

  Inside the shuttle the flames had been extinguished and they kneeled by the smoking ruin that was the man they had come to rescue. Each one was deep in thought thinking about what he had gone through in his last moments before life had left him.

  So close, they had come so close to succeeding only to have victory snatched from their grasp in the very last few seconds.

  Hawk was about to say something, lend words to the thoughts in all of their minds, when Stryder suddenly took in a sharp intake of breath, like a swimmer breaking through the surface of the water to take that first satisfying breath. He opened his eyes and then the miracle happened once more, right before their eyes.