(I lied :-))
The Hunter, part 21
Time seemed to slow down.
Dylan saw the blue-glow that preceded the bullet: the magnetic accelerators discharged, propelling the metal sphere along at several times the speed of sound. He saw the round leave the barrel, and felt the heat generated as it tore through the air, just centimetres to the side of his head.
There was a groan behind him, followed by the unmistakable thump of a dead body hitting the ground. He slowly turned to see a dead Nietzschean lying on the ground, a gauss-gun in its hand. He turned back in time to see Rommie drop her weapon and fall to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Dylan ran over to her and held her tight as she cried, "It's ok Rommie, its ok." He held her head against his shoulder as she continued the sob. After several minuets, Rommie was able to controller herself enough to speak, "I told you their where contracts out on your life." Dylan kissed her, "I'm lucky to have someone like you to watch my back." Rommie smiled weekly, finally able to control the tears.
"Not that I want to interrupt this heartfelt moment, but our dead friends pall's are on the way, and it would be better if we weren't here when they arrived." Dylan looked up to see Dex standing in the doorway of a large warehouse, his gauss-gun at the ready. Nodding, Dylan lifted Rommie up in his arms and carried her to the waiting pilot. He was not surprised to see that the warehouse was nothing more than a hollow shell that hid the Argo from anyone who might be looking for it.
Dylan gently set Rommie down in one of the passenger seats and helped her strap in as Dex typed commands into a control-panel in the warehouses wall. He ran through the airlock and jumped into the pilots seat, "You better strap yourself in, I've just set the self-destruct system: in less than 60- seconds, this place is going to be nothing but a memory!" Dylan stumbled into the weapons-officer's seat before the Argo's powerful engines roared into life, sending the ship through the warehouses false ceiling and into the air. Dex pulled the controls back, raising the ship's nose, and pulled back hard on the throttle.
The air was sucked from Dylan's lungs as the Argo shot through the air at maximum speed. He thanked his lucky stars that his mother had been high- gravity worlder, as he would have passed out otherwise. As they reached the upper atmosphere, Dex brought the artificial-gravity generators on-line, and Dylan felt the wait on his chest ease-off.
"Where to Boss?" Dex called out over his shoulder as he headed for the slip- portal. Rommie looked at Dylan, "Well?" Dylan took her hand, "If you go back with me, I can't guaranty that I'll be able to talk CIIC round." Rommie smiled, "I'll take that risk." Dylan kissed her and turned to Dex, "New St. Petersburg."
TBC
The Hunter, part 21
Time seemed to slow down.
Dylan saw the blue-glow that preceded the bullet: the magnetic accelerators discharged, propelling the metal sphere along at several times the speed of sound. He saw the round leave the barrel, and felt the heat generated as it tore through the air, just centimetres to the side of his head.
There was a groan behind him, followed by the unmistakable thump of a dead body hitting the ground. He slowly turned to see a dead Nietzschean lying on the ground, a gauss-gun in its hand. He turned back in time to see Rommie drop her weapon and fall to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Dylan ran over to her and held her tight as she cried, "It's ok Rommie, its ok." He held her head against his shoulder as she continued the sob. After several minuets, Rommie was able to controller herself enough to speak, "I told you their where contracts out on your life." Dylan kissed her, "I'm lucky to have someone like you to watch my back." Rommie smiled weekly, finally able to control the tears.
"Not that I want to interrupt this heartfelt moment, but our dead friends pall's are on the way, and it would be better if we weren't here when they arrived." Dylan looked up to see Dex standing in the doorway of a large warehouse, his gauss-gun at the ready. Nodding, Dylan lifted Rommie up in his arms and carried her to the waiting pilot. He was not surprised to see that the warehouse was nothing more than a hollow shell that hid the Argo from anyone who might be looking for it.
Dylan gently set Rommie down in one of the passenger seats and helped her strap in as Dex typed commands into a control-panel in the warehouses wall. He ran through the airlock and jumped into the pilots seat, "You better strap yourself in, I've just set the self-destruct system: in less than 60- seconds, this place is going to be nothing but a memory!" Dylan stumbled into the weapons-officer's seat before the Argo's powerful engines roared into life, sending the ship through the warehouses false ceiling and into the air. Dex pulled the controls back, raising the ship's nose, and pulled back hard on the throttle.
The air was sucked from Dylan's lungs as the Argo shot through the air at maximum speed. He thanked his lucky stars that his mother had been high- gravity worlder, as he would have passed out otherwise. As they reached the upper atmosphere, Dex brought the artificial-gravity generators on-line, and Dylan felt the wait on his chest ease-off.
"Where to Boss?" Dex called out over his shoulder as he headed for the slip- portal. Rommie looked at Dylan, "Well?" Dylan took her hand, "If you go back with me, I can't guaranty that I'll be able to talk CIIC round." Rommie smiled, "I'll take that risk." Dylan kissed her and turned to Dex, "New St. Petersburg."
TBC