Chapter 20: Operation Starfall
Operation Starfall.
That was what the powers that be had decided to call the joint Orange Star and Green Earth assault on Black Hole's base, and the desperate attempt to rescue Jess and Angel. It was not a name Sami would have chosen. To be fair, she thought most code names the top brass came up with were somewhere between trite and ridiculous. She expected nothing else from them, but this name was different. It did not sit well with her. It felt wrong. Taunting, almost; an irritant working its way under her skin, and daring her to lose control. To falter, and to fall. In the back of her mind Sami wondered if the name would prove prophetic, as if her fate had already been decided, and she was helpless to change it.
Sami's brow pinched as it occurred to her just how inane the thoughts running through her mind were. More than inane, if she was honest. It was only a name. Some bureaucrat had probably thought themselves rather clever for coming up with a code name that described a star finding its way to earth, just as Sami's task was to find the captured Green Earth commanders. It meant nothing, and it had no power over her destiny. To waste time and energy even thinking about something so frivolous was absurd, especially on the day of a dangerous mission. Sami's expression softened, just a little, as she considered that. Perhaps it was better to think about a mere name, rather than dwell too much on what was about to happen.
The time was almost upon them. Dawn found Sami standing on the deck of Eagle's flagship, the aircraft carrier swarming with motion as its crew prepared their emerald jets for battle. Stowed away in a corner of the flight deck was the copter her squad had brought with them from Orange Star, a small island of home in a sea of green. There she prepared herself with the rest of her team, checking equipment, putting on gear, and making sure they were ready for the immense challenge that was to come.
Even with all the mayhem and cacophony of a carrier group about to begin combat operations, the scene around them was strangely serene. The lapping waves were dark against the ship's hull, the morning light still weak and faint. All was tinged by a misty grey, from the bright liveries of the warships and planes to the state of the art combat suit Sami wore. This far from shore, the dawn was beautiful. The sea was deep blue, strewn with flecks of gold where the burgeoning daylight touched it, and the sky was perfectly clear. For a moment Sami looked out across the ocean and let herself take in the beauty of the sunrise. As she stared into the soft amber sky, it occurred to her that this could be the last one she ever saw.
Unsettled not because she might soon be dead, but because of how little the possibility made her feel, Sami looked away from the horizon and back to the carrier. That was when she saw Eagle striding across the flight deck with poise and purpose. He was moving directly towards her, the orange helicopter beckoning to him like a signal fire. Just my luck, Sami thought. There was no true need for him to see her off, not when everything had already been decided. So why was he here?
Almost as soon as the question came to Sami, she pushed it away. There was no point in dwelling on that, either. No good would come of it, and besides, she'd find out what he wanted soon enough.
As Eagle approached, Sami steeled herself to speak to him as she'd had to a dozen times since they'd put Operation Starfall in motion.
"Commander Sami," he said in a polite voice, stepping alongside her.
"Commander Eagle." She didn't bother to look at him.
"I've just received word," he continued, his voice slightly strained. "Drake's engaged a large Black Hole fleet in the strait. It certainly seems he's gotten their attention."
"I see." Sami risked looking into Eagle's eyes, but found nothing familiar there. "When do you start launching jets?"
"Now."
She nodded once. "Then we'll be ready to follow."
There was nothing more to say. No need to discuss the plan, or go over what they both already knew, and yet Eagle was still standing there. Why wasn't he leaving?
"I regret that it must be this way between us," he offered at last.
Sami tensed, forcing herself to hold back a barbed reply. It didn't have to be this way. That was what she wanted to say. What she wanted to shout, actually. But it was neither the time nor the place, so she merely looked away and continued checking her equipment.
"So do I," she said, her voice rigid and cold.
Out of the corner of her eye Sami saw Eagle clasp his hands behind his back. Still he would not leave. It was infuriating, or at least, it would have been if every shred of self-control Sami possessed was not dedicated to keeping her emotions in check. Even so, she couldn't help but keep glancing at him, couldn't help but wonder what else he might want to tell her. If there was something more on Eagle's mind, he gave no sign of it. For the moment he seemed content to simply watch, studying her with his perfect, piercing gaze. Sami allowed herself a longer glance at him, noting the tense set of his lips and the dark rings beneath his eyes.
As she made eye contact, Eagle took a short breath.
"Sami…" he hesitated. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For this. I know it can't be easy, after –" He winced and cut himself short. "After everything."
Sami gave a brusque shrug. "Don't thank me. Thank Nell, thank the President – heck, thank the entire administration. I'm just a grunt doing what I'm told."
The shadow of a smile crossed Eagle's face. "I think we both know you're far more than a mere grunt, Sami."
Her discomfort growing, Sami turned aside and began securing additional supplies and ammo to her black combat suit. She knew how worried Eagle was. She saw the concern in his eyes, and in the way he was unable to conceal his emotions beneath his noble affectations. Sami could only imagine what he must have been going through. How did it feel to leave the fate of the woman he loved in the hands of the woman he had spurned? She felt a throb of dark amusement. It probably felt a great deal like being asked to rescue the very person who had destroyed the only meaningful romance Sami had ever known.
Ever since Nell had briefed them on her plan, Sami had done her best not to think too deeply about that. Tried not to think about whether she would have even tried to save this so-called Angel under different circumstances. There was a secret part of her – wounded, seething, and bitter – that didn't want to attempt a rescue, that wanted the girl to suffer for what she had done. Sami would never have given in to the impulse, of course. Not as things were. This was bigger than what had passed between her and Eagle. There was a great deal more at stake, and if nothing else, Sami was determined to get Jess, a woman whose bravery and resolve she greatly respected, out unharmed.
More to the point, it didn't matter if Sami would have chosen to be there or not. Her orders were to infiltrate the facility and extract the two Green Earth COs by any means necessary, and that was exactly what she would do. Anything else was irrelevant. The mission and the broader war effort were what mattered most, and her personal feelings were entirely inconsequential. Sami had her orders. She knew her duty, and that was everything. Such was her natural instinct; Sami was a soldier, and that was a good soldier's response.
A trace of sadness flickered in her brown eyes as she fixed a flash grenade to her belt. No matter how she tried, Sami could not escape the truth. Eagle was right. She was not the kind of soldier who obeyed orders without question. Orders or not, she knew in her heart that she would not have been standing there if she didn't want to be.
Sami shuddered. She couldn't deal with this. Not now, not today.
"Will there be anything else, Commander?" She asked Eagle, her voice rock hard.
His lips parted and for one single, fluttering moment Sami was afraid of what he might say. Then he swallowed, shook his head, and the moment was past.
"No. We'll signal you for take off once the first squadrons are away."
With a neat pivot and a brush of his navy blue sleeve Eagle was gone, striding back across the deck to the command tower.
Sami let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, feeling suddenly small and tired. Then came a flash of anger. She hated this. Hated that this man who had treated her so badly could still hold so much power over her. She scowled and finished clipping equipment to her belt. Damn him for making her feel this way, right as she was about to leave on what would probably be the most dangerous mission of her life. Her focus had to be perfect. Emotion had no place in her world, not if the mission was going to succeed. Emotion would get her killed where she was going.
She closed her eyes and exhaled again, focusing on the rhythm of her breathing in an attempt to calm herself. Eagle was irrelevant. Eagle did not exist. There was only the mission.
Sami turned away and climbed into the waiting helicopter, its rotors already beginning to spin. The other four members of her team were already strapped into their seats. They had boarded the copter while she spoke to Eagle, and everyone was ready to depart. Sami pulled the side door closed behind her, shutting out the busy world beyond, and Eagle along with it.
"Everything okay, Cap?"
She glanced sideways. Sitting near the cockpit was a dark skinned giant of a man who wore a combat suit like her own, and those worn by the other three members of the squad. Blaine was her second in command on the mission, and, like her, a highly experienced Special Forces captain. His deep brown eyes were watching her carefully, and Sami did not like it. She was not at all comfortable with the thought that her agitation was obvious enough to see.
"Fine," she replied. "Everything's fine."
That wasn't true, but Sami had no choice but to pretend that it was. With a conscious effort to keep her expression neutral, she sat down beside Blaine and fastened her seatbelt. Along the other end of the cabin sat her other three team members. There was Drew, the youngest member of the team, with his rosy cheeks and cleft chin, Wyatt, a tall, fit man whose lip was marked by a neat blonde moustache, and Cruz, a compact woman with dark hair and dark eyes. They were all Special Forces soldiers who Sami had worked with in the past, and whose abilities she knew were equal to her own. If anyone could rescue Green Earth's commanders, they could.
The rotors began to pick up speed, and the roar of the engines filled the cabin as the transport lifted off. Sami pulled her combat helmet on and fastened the straps beneath her chin, then put a hand to its side, next to her cheek. Her fingers found a small switch and turned it on, activating the sophisticated radio system in the helmet. The unusual nature of this mission – and the short amount of time they'd had to prepare for it – had made the radio an essential piece of equipment. There was no guarantee it would even work, of course. Black Hole had demonstrated an incredible ability to interfere with communications during the assault on Green Earth, but this was the best chance they had.
Sami took a deep breath and spoke. "Den Mother, this is Red Lioness." Another trite code name, one that belonged to her this time. "Do you copy?"
"This is Den Mother," Nell's voice came through. "I read you, Red Lioness."
Sami felt a tiny burst of relief. Making contact with their command in Orange Star was only a small success, but it was a comforting one.
"What's your current status?" Nell asked.
"Preparations are complete, and we're en route to the drop zone."
"Have you encountered any problems?"
"Not yet, ma'am," Sami said. "Everything looks good so far."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Even through the haze of the secure com link, Sami could hear the genuine relief in her superior's voice. Nell was less able to hide her emotions of late, and no doubt the latest developments in the war with Blue Moon would only have made things worse.
Sami had been too busy preparing for her current mission to study events on the front in any detail, but even from second hand reports she knew how dire the situation was. Max had withdrawn a significant number of troops from their positions, which left the defences severely weakened. As soon as Blue Moon realised what had happened, they responded by launching a full scale assault, and before long, the centre of Orange Star's entire defensive line had collapsed. From what Sami had heard, the whole front was embroiled in heavy fighting. The outlook was grim. Rachel was a good commander, but there was little hope she could repel this attack. Without Max's forces she was badly outmatched, and by the time reinforcements could reach the front lines, it would be far too late. All they could do now was wait for a clearer picture to emerge, and brace for worse news to come.
Not for the first time Sami tried to push the war from her mind. The fight against Blue Moon might soon decide the fate of their country, but today, it was just another distraction.
"I'll hand you over to Stray Cat now," Nell continued. "And Red Lioness? Good luck. We're all hoping for your safe return."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Sami felt a sliver of shame creep through her stomach. She had not forgotten how Nell reprimanded her during their last conference, and every time Sami recalled her outburst, she could not help but feel disgusted with her conduct. There had been no reference to their previous conversation on Nell's part, only a calm confidence that Sami could get the job done, but somehow that was worse. Knowing that she had Nell's complete trust only made Sami more determined not to let her emotions cloud her judgement again. She refused to let anyone down. Not Nell, not the people of Green Earth, and not herself.
Sami heard the sounds on the other end of the line shift. A moment's silence followed, and then –
"Hello?" A shrill voice came through. "Hey jerkface, can you hear me?"
"Great," Sami muttered. "Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse, now you're in my head."
"Boo!" Lash said. "I don't like you either. You're all strict and serious and mean!"
Sami rolled her eyes. They were off to an excellent start, she thought with no small dose of sarcasm. Lash was as professional as ever.
It had always been the part of the plan Sami was most uncomfortable with. For Operation Starfall to succeed, she and her team had to put their lives in the hands of a mercurial, immature psychopath. Despite what Nell and Andy seemed to think, Sami found it difficult to believe that Lash could be relied upon, let alone trusted. Where did her loyalties truly lie? In Omega Land, there had been ample reason for Lash to cooperate with the Allied Nations. Simple self-interest and a lack of other options had made it a necessity. Now, however? Sami doubted Lash had any genuine desire to help Orange Star, not after her incarceration in Thornfield. That wasn't necessarily a problem, so long as she could be kept under control, but Sami suspected that was impossible. Lash was unpredictable and devious. Black Hole's mad little inventor might have been safely in their custody for the moment, but it remained to be seen how long that would last. If Lash decided to rejoin her friends on the other side, and put her considerable intellect to the task, Sami didn't know if they could stop her.
It didn't matter now, she reflected. The mission was underway, and it was too late to turn back. Lash was their best hope to rescue the two Green Earth COs from Black Hole's clutches. Or rather, their only hope to rescue them.
"Hey, are you still there?" Lash asked, her voice flat and bored.
"Yes, Stray Cat," Sami said. "I'm still here. This connection stays open no matter what, remember?"
"Duh, of course I remember. I'm a –"
"Genius," Sami finished. "I know. Just don't get cocky, okay? We're depending on you, so please… take this seriously and do exactly what I say."
Lash said nothing, and Sami was suddenly struck by how ridiculous her words sounded. She might as well have been talking to a rock. Still, Sami didn't need the girl to be receptive. She only needed Lash to do as she was told.
Eventually Lash gave a dramatic sigh. "Whatever," she said. "Like it matters to me."
Sami fought back the urge to snap at her. There was simply no point in trying to impress upon Lash the gravity of the situation. All things considered, resignation was probably the best response Sami could hope for.
"We're approaching the drop zone now," the pilot's voice came through. "You're all clear, Red Lioness."
"Copy that, Tango One."
Sami gestured to her team, and they began making the last preparations to descend. A full landing was out of the question. They would be too vulnerable to enemy fire on the ground, and besides, their chosen access point would take too long to reach from anywhere the copter could set down. Instead they had opted to approach the enemy base from the water while the transport stayed airborne. It was a difficult manoeuvre, but one that Sami's team was more than capable of executing. They were Special Forces. The best. Doing the impossible was what they were trained for.
A light on the side wall turned from red to green. With a click Blaine released the lock on the main door and threw it open. He would be first to exit the cabin, and he had already secured himself to the hoist cable as they made their approach. As the copter slowed, he assumed a position ready to descend. Meanwhile, Sami and the others undid their seatbelts and transferred themselves to the cabin's mobile restraints. All around them the world shook and shuddered with the power of the helicopter's engines, and ahead, through the open door, Sami could see the sky as it grew steadily more blue with the rising sun.
The copter came to a full stop and held steady. Sami heard a metallic thud as the boat slung to the transport's underside was released, and then Blaine dropped out of sight. They were away. The sequence was carried out with perfect efficiency. One by one, the soldiers descended via the hoist, and before long Sami was alone in the cabin. She moved to the door, ready to secure herself to the hoist as soon as it returned. In that moment, as she looked across the sea, a wistful feeling came over her. The horizon was perfect and calm, even as the rest of the world was wracked with turmoil and strife. It seemed so distant from all the pain and struggle, from all that her life had become. In those precious few seconds as Sami waited for the hoist to come back, she could not help but imagine what it would be like to head towards the horizon and never look back, to leave the world and all its problems far behind. Would it make a difference? Would she find some peace that way?
For the space of a single heartbeat Sami considered the idea, truly considered what it would be like. The wistfulness grew stronger, becoming a sorrow almost strong enough to bring her to tears. No, Sami decided. That wasn't who she was. Running away was not the answer to her problems; she was certain of that.
The moment passed. As quickly as it had come, the feeling subsided, and Sami was left knowing with every fibre of her being that she was exactly where she was meant to be.
Sami had barely come to that realisation when the hoist returned, and there was no more time for such thoughts. It was time to move. With a newfound sense of purpose, Sami attached herself to the harness and kicked off. The ocean below was a swirl of white brine, the surface churned into a storm by the immense downforce of the copter's rotors. A wave swelled and Sami was struck by a splash of spray and saltwater, but she did not falter as she headed for the large inflatable boat waiting below.
As Sami reached the surface, Blaine reached out to guide her in. Once she was safely aboard the boat, she disengaged from the harness and signalled their transport to move off. It was too dangerous for the copter to stay close while they were inside the Black Hole base. After they were safely out again – assuming they made it safely out again – they would signal for an extraction, but for the time being, they were on their own.
"We good, Cap?" Blaine asked.
"We are," Sami replied, "so let's get this over with."
She put a hand to her helmet. The radio was fully waterproof, and it would take more than a few jolts to break it. Sami knew that, but she still felt compelled to check that it was working properly after the descent.
"Stray Cat? Do you read me?"
At first there was no reply. Sami felt a stab of panic. Was it possible that the radio had malfunctioned? Surely not.
"Oh, right," Lash blurted out. "That's me. Yeah, I'm here. What, you need something?"
"Just making sure you're still with me," Sami said.
She took a deep breath and looked all around, assessing the situation. The sea was empty and their copter a receding blur in the sky. Ahead, the coastline awaited. High, sandy cliffs towered over the ocean, waves crashing against the jagged rocks at their base. So far there was no sign of trouble. Sami could hear the distant sounds of battle, the faint noise of jet engines and explosions carrying faintly through the morning sky, but they were vague and faraway. It seemed Eagle and Drake had successfully diverted the enemy's attention, and given her team the opening they needed.
As they approached the cliffs, her team adjusted the inflatable craft's heading, pointing it towards the mouth of an inlet. Even within the more sheltered section of the coast, the water's edge was dominated by foreboding rock formations, but there were enough stretches of bare sand to make a safe landing. Sami surveyed the area as the boat drew closer to shore, but she could see no danger. The inlet was deserted.
"We're coming up on the landing site," Sami reported. "Have you taken care of any security cameras?"
"Of course I have," Lash scoffed. "I'm inside their system, and those losers don't even know it. I've got key parts of their network on a loop playing footage from yesterday." She giggled to herself. "Those dopes won't see a thing."
"Acknowledged. Let me know if anything changes."
Somehow Sami did not find Lash's boasts reassuring. Instead, she felt only a ripple of vague unease as she wondered again just how far Lash could be trusted. Still, the early signs were encouraging. There had been no response from the enemy so far, and they had to be watching this entrance.
The boat reached the shore, running aground on a shallow beach. Sami and the others stepped onto the sand with guns at the ready, checking again the landing site was safe. Still there was no sign of any enemies. Sami signalled to the others. She, Wyatt, and Cruz covered the area while Blaine and Drew secured the boat. In addition to throwing down the anchor, they made sure the inflatable craft was firmly tied down with ropes. They could take no chances. The boat was their way off the island, provided the plan went well; if it did not, they would have to find another way to rendezvous with the copter.
Once the inflatable craft was moored the team made its way around the inlet, stepping across rocks and wet sand. Sami took point as they moved towards the mouth of a large cave, burrowing into the cliff face. There was a metal platform of some kind protruding from the dark. A small pier, painted a similar shade of brown as the surrounding rock. Up close it was obvious that this was no natural formation, but from afar it would have been impossible to detect, Sami realised as she stepped onto the metal. Not unless you already knew where to look.
How long had it been there? For all they knew, this facility could have been operating in secret for years. Perhaps even since the first war, when Black Hole established a base of operations on the island, if not even earlier. The region had been thoroughly searched after the war's end, but it was possible they had missed something, especially if the enemy had taken pains to conceal it. It was a disturbing notion. Sami didn't know how long the events unfolding now had been planned for, but she found herself considering the possibility this went back much further than they suspected. The idea sent a tingle of dread down the back of her spine.
Metallic footsteps echoed out as she led the team into the cavern. There were lines of silver and blue visible in the gloom where the morning light reached the cave, reflected across the rocks from the water's surface. The glittering patterns cast a faint glow over the surroundings as they shimmered and danced. The effect was eerie, like the illusion of being underwater. It was beautiful, in a haunting kind of way, but Sami did not let the sight distract her.
The team's pace slowed as they moved along the pier, wary of what might lie in wait. After perhaps twenty metres they came to a metal door, painted the same brown colour as everything else. Exactly where the blueprints Lash had acquired said it would be. Sami looked over the door. There was no handle, no keyhole, nothing but reinforced metal. She gave the door a test shove, but it would not budge. Locked.
She turned to Blaine. "Let's get a breaching charge set up. Minimum yield. We'll blow the hinges." She then spoke in a slightly louder voice for the benefit of those listening back in Orange Star. "This is Red Lioness," she said. "We've reached the exterior door, and we're going to blast it open. Stray Cat, can you make sure we don't set off any alarms?"
"Easy peasy," Lash replied. "But someone might still hear a huge explosion." She snickered. "Or your big stinky feet plodding around!"
Sami barely managed to stop herself from growling. "Just handle the alarms."
Blaine and Cruz stepped back from the door. They had finished preparing the charge. Blaine directed the team to back off, and they withdrew to the end of the pier.
"Standby for detonation on my mark," Sami said. "Three… two… one… mark!"
The signal was sent. A split second later, a small explosion erupted along the door frame, the sound of groaning metal carrying across the water. The soldiers raced forward. They needed to move fast, while the element of surprise was still on their side, and force an entrance before anyone inside the base could react. Blaine shoved the door and with a metallic screech pushed it inwards until it stood half open. Sami and Cruz were first into the breach. As the smallest members of the team they could go through quickest and with least risk of getting jammed.
They slipped through and into the darkened room beyond with rifles raised. A rapid inspection of their new surroundings revealed no threats. The space was empty.
"Clear!" Cruz yelled.
One by one the rest of the team came through the gap. Sami and Cruz walked further into the room, still searching for any sign of danger. There was nothing there except large pieces of machinery, a ventilation system, and stacked crates, all dimly lit by a strip of florescent lights. Whatever kind of maintenance or storage area this was, it clearly wasn't important enough to warrant any permanent staff. Soon the whole team was through, and together they moved quickly to the far end of the room, where another door led into the base proper. Sami glanced up at a security camera mounted on the wall as they approached, feeling another pang of trepidation. Soon they would know if Lash's little tricks had worked.
The team reached the far door. This one was ordinary wood, and while it had no handle, there was a large metal strip to one side. Some kind of lock, Sami surmised, linked to a keycard scanner mounted on the wall. She tested the door with her foot, but it too was firmly shut. Briefly she considered her options. Perhaps this was a problem that Lash could solve.
"Stray Cat, we're at a locked door with some kind of security scanner. Can you get it open?"
"Of course I can. I can blow the whole lock up, or fry the whole system!" Lash laughed like a maniac.
Sami rolled her eyes. "Just unlock the door," she said in a firm voice. "And do it quietly!"
"Boooring."
Seconds ticked by and bled into a minute, and nothing happened. Sami was beginning to wonder if Lash had as much control over the Black Hole systems as she claimed when she heard a dull click, and the door swung open.
Sami pushed through and emerged in a stairwell. Dim lights and unfinished concrete walls were all that greeted her there. This was a desolate and empty place, devoid of life like the maintenance room before it. Sami glanced upwards, searching for any sign of movement on the stairs, but there was none. The situation was straightforward. They were at the very bottom of the base, the way was clear, and there was nowhere to go but up.
"How many levels to the target?" She asked Drew.
"Three floors up, ma'am," he replied.
Sami nodded, and motioned for the team to begin. Drew was in charge of guiding them through the base. He might have been young, but he was highly intelligent, and his memory in particular was exceptional. In the space of a few hours he had memorised not only their route to the target, but the layout of most of the other floors as well. Sami could have received directions from Lash through the radio link, but that was not an option she could safely rely on. Depending too much on Lash was dangerous. Not because Sami did not trust the girl, but because if communications went down, they would have no choice but to manage without her. The more redundancies built into the mission, the better.
The ascent was quick but cautious. They advanced in a leapfrog pattern, two members covering each flight of stairs while the rest of the squad moved up. There were no distractions during the climb, and no sign of any other living being. If there had been any personnel or soldiers stationed in this part of the base, they had been drawn elsewhere by Green Earth's assault. The plan, it seemed, had worked to perfection. They had their opening. Now, all they needed to do was fight their way through the base proper, locate Jess and Angel, and escape the facility. Simple, Sami thought wryly.
They reached the third level. Another locked door greeted them, furnished with the same keycard system as the one on the bottom floor.
"We've reached the security door on level three," Sami said. "Can you –"
"Yeah, yeah," Lash muttered. "Open it, don't blow it up. I know."
"At least you're a fast learner."
Lash said nothing more, but Sami could practically hear her seething. Allowing herself the tiniest smile of satisfaction, Sami leant over and examined the door. This one had a small window of glass and wire mesh set into its frame, and on the other side she could make out a barren corridor. It too appeared empty. The only lights were stark and harsh, and the metal panels on the walls gleamed beneath the bright illumination.
Sami straightened up. "Looks like we're clear to go in," she advised the team. "What's our next move?"
"We follow this corridor to the end," Drew replied, "make a left, then take the first door on the right. According to Lash's schematics, we'll be in a med lab. There's an exit on the other side that'll put us right next to the inner section."
"Where the targets are being held," Sami finished. "Right. Let's move out!"
The Special Forces team burst through the door and began to sprint down the corridor. They were halfway along it when an alarm klaxon sounded. Sami's heart skipped a beat. She held up one hand and the team froze, flattening themselves against the walls and readying their weapons.
"Attention, all personnel," an announcement came through over a speaker system. "The facility is under attack. Go to your assigned combat positions, and await further instructions. This is not a drill."
Just a routine announcement, Sami decided. They were still clear. She signalled the group to advance as the blaring klaxon sounded again. Blaine was first to reach the junction at the end of the corridor. He peeked out from behind the wall, first looking to the right as he checked for enemies. Blaine had barely turned left before he pulled back with a jerk of his head. Almost in the same moment, the harsh sound of gunfire rang out.
"We've got company!" Blaine shouted.
Their training kicked in. The team moved in perfect unison, darting out around the corner in sequence as they laid down suppressing fire. There was only a few seconds to take in the situation, but that was enough. A full squad of ten Black Hole soldiers was advancing down the corridor to the left, most likely on a patrol of the area.
Sami swore. The enemy soldiers were blocking the exact path they needed to take, and her team couldn't move right either, not without exposing themselves to heavy fire. They were pinned.
"Options!" Sami yelled. "Do we have another route to the target?"
"Negative, ma'am!" Drew shouted back, the exchange punctuated by constant staccato bursts of gunfire. "We can double back and try to circle around this junction, but we'll still have to get across that corridor!" He gestured towards the left with a nod of his head.
There was no time to properly consider the alternatives. A frontal assault was suicide. They could try to outflank the enemy, and risk trapping themselves in an even worse position, or they could abort the mission and retreat. Sami cursed under her breath. She had no good options, and no time to decide. Unless…
"Lash!" Sami said. "When I say so, cut all the lights in this section!"
Lash snickered to herself. "You're not supposed to call me that."
"Just do as I say!" Sami hissed, her patience gone.
"Fine," Lash said. "Whatever you say, boss."
Sami couldn't stand how unprofessional the girl was, but there was nothing she could do except tolerate her behaviour, or at least try to. She glanced at each member of her team in turn.
"We go dark on my order," she said, her voice terse.
There was only the slightest shift in their expressions to show that they understood her plan, but it was enough. A glint of recognition in the eye, the most subtle of nods. Everyone present had worked together in the past, and gone through the same intense training. They did not need words to know what each other was thinking.
The team had pulled back and was standing by to activate their night vision. They were ready.
"Lash, cut the lights now!" Sami ordered.
She could not keep a trace of fear from running through her as she gave the order. There was not even enough time for her to consciously acknowledge the sensation before all the lights went out with an electrical crackle, and the world turned black.
Sami and her team sprang into action. As everything went dark, they switched to night vision and surged around the corner. They had only a few seconds, but that was enough. With ruthless precision they swept through the enemy soldiers in a blaze of gunfire. Four of those inhuman creatures dropped in the first volley, falling to the ground with only the hiss of their depressurising suits. Only as they took aim at the next targets did the Black Hole troops began to adjust and fight back, their return fire wild and unfocused. Sami did not flinch or waver, her battle hardened nerves holding steady even as the bullets flew past. In a firefight, her Special Forces had no equal.
The battle was over in less than a minute. Every Black Hole soldier had been eliminated, their motionless bodies strewn across the floor.
"Bring the lights back on," Sami told Lash. "We're clear."
It was a weakness they had first discovered during the Second Great War. The cyborg soldiers used by the enemy were slow to adapt to sudden changes in the surrounding light levels. It was rare they were equipped with dedicated night vision gear, and their reaction time was poor under such circumstances. It could take them up to ten seconds to respond. A small window of advantage, but all that Sami and her team needed.
The experiences of recent years had taught Orange Star many valuable lessons about their foe, but there was still a great deal they did not understand about Black Hole's infantry. It was only during the late stages of the conflict in Macro Land that the allies had caught a disturbing glimpse into the nature of the enemy's new army. Between information gleaned from captured bases and the examination of bodies recovered from the battlefield, they had learnt much about the unnatural creations they fought, the face of evil reborn. Twisted science and cloning technology had developed a type of soldier that could be grown in bulk and at great speed. Once augmented with robotic parts, they were approximately equal in ability to human soldiers, and even capable of independent thought – or at least the appearance of it. In some ways they were even superior, but they were not without flaws, sometimes ones that ordinary men and women did not suffer. The past few minutes were proof of that.
The lights came back on with the groan of relighting bulbs. Sami cast a rapid glance around the corridor. Most of her team had pulled through the firefight unscathed, but Cruz was doubled over in pain, two spent bullets visible where they had slammed into the body armour covering her chest. Worse, her left arm was immobile, blood dripping to the floor from her limp fingers. Cruz tried to take a step forward, only to lurch sideways. Her leg had been hit as well.
"Medkit," Sami said to Drew, who carried what few medical supplies they had.
He retrieved a kit from his belt and tossed it to Cruz, who managed to catch the pack with one hand. Sami didn't like her condition at all, but there was no time to tend to the wounded. They had to move fast, especially now that they had encountered resistance. If any member of the team could no longer keep up, there was no choice but to leave them behind. Everyone was well aware of that, but as team leader, it fell to Sami to make the call.
"Get back to the stairs," she ordered Cruz, "and cover the exit. Everyone else, with me."
"Give 'em hell," Cruz said through gritted teeth as the others moved out.
Sami threw her comrade a quick nod. Then she turned and began running down the corridor, heading straight for the first door on the right. She kicked it open and moved into the lab, checking the room for enemies. Nothing there. Just racks of shelves and cupboards, holding all kinds of scientific and medical equipment.
"Clear!" She yelled, leading the team across the lab.
They were almost to the other side when another klaxon sounded.
"Intruder alert!" A new announcement came through. "Enemy forces have breached the perimeter. All soldiers to level three immediately."
The set of Sami's lips turned grim. The enemy had sounded the alarm, she was down a team member, and they weren't even inside the inner section of the base yet. She needed to hurry.
"Stray Cat," she said as she pulled the other lab door open, "we've got enemy reinforcements incoming. Anything you can do to slow them down –"
"Do it!" Lash finished.
Sami leant forward and glanced down the next corridor. She could see two guards standing outside a security checkpoint. With a quick gesture she communicated that to Blaine, and together they rushed through the doorway. They each took out one of the guards in a burst of accurate fire, confirming the pair were dead as they raced to the checkpoint, where an armoured door blocked their path. It was massive, made of reinforced metal with no obvious weak points. To one side a computer terminal was attached to the wall, but it offered no hope of entry. The screen was locked down, and Sami had no way of accessing it. Not from her current location, at least.
"How fast can you get this door open?" Sami asked Lash.
A frustrated grunt came back at her over the radio link. "I dunno, those stupid twerps are trying to stop me!"
"What does that mean?" Sami demanded.
"It means they know I have access! They're trying to reboot the whole system and shut me out! Those jerks, why can't they just let me play?"
Of course, Sami thought. This was all just a game to Lash. She shook her head and turned to Wyatt.
"Blow it," she ordered.
Wyatt glanced over the reinforced door, one eyebrow raised. "Ma'am, I ain't sure we brought enough explosives to take that monster down," he said in his slow drawl.
"Then give it everything we've got."
"Yes ma'am."
She knew that using all their demolition charges was a risk. If they needed to blast open another door deeper inside the facility, they would have to rely on grenades and guns, and nothing more. It was a risk, but it was an acceptable one. Sami suspected that the base was designed to keep intruders out of the inner section, which meant there was a good chance that its security was much lighter on the other side of this door. She allowed herself a small sigh. Whatever obstacles awaited her team, they would have to confront them one at a time.
Sami and the others covered the corridor while Wyatt prepared the charges. It was a quiet wait, save for the occasional shrieks of fury that came through the radio as Lash waged her own battle inside the Black Hole computer system. Together with Blaine and Drew, Sami pulled back to the lab's entrance. They could not become trapped with their backs to the security door. There was no sign of more enemy soldiers closing in on their position from either direction. An uneasy lull had fallen over the facility. The alarm continued to sound at regular intervals, but the base otherwise seemed empty, save for Sami, her team, and the dead.
Several minutes passed. Sami remained alert, scanning every point she had line of sight on for danger. The charges were almost ready when she heard a garbled noise over her radio.
Sami frowned. "Stray Cat, come in."
There was no reply. Only several word fragments, interspersed with static. Sami's alarm grew as she tried to make sense of the sounds, but it was no use. She heard a sharp whine, and then the radio simply went silent.
"Red Lioness to Stray Cat," Sami repeated. "Do you copy?"
Nothing.
"This is Red Lioness to any friendly," she tried again. "Does anybody read me?"
Still there was no answer. Sami knew that further attempts to contact their allies were pointless. Whether because of enemy interference or simply because they had moved too deep into the facility, she was cut off from the outside world. They were on their own.
"Problem?" Blaine asked.
"We've lost Lash," Sami replied. "The radio's dead."
He grunted. "Do we continue?"
"That's affirmative."
Blaine accepted that with a small nod, but Sami could tell he knew how serious the situation was. They all did. Their window of opportunity to locate the targets and safely escape was shrinking rapidly, and every member of the team knew it.
"Ready!" Wyatt shouted, running to join the rest of the squad.
Together they took shelter inside the lab. Once everyone was well away from the corridor, Sami gave the order. Her team covered their ears as a colossal explosion ripped through the nearby hallway, a wall of smoke and flame rushing past the closed door. Everything around them trembled and shook, the shelves and cupboards set rattling by the sheer force of the blast.
Once the explosion subsided, Blaine flashed a grin at Sami. "Well, Cap, if they didn't know our position, they do now."
"So let's hurry." Sami turned to Drew. "Which way next?"
"Through that checkpoint until we reach the next intersection, left, and into a hospital wing at the end of the corridor. According to Lash, that's where the targets are being held."
That was all Sami needed to know. She led the team past the mangled mess of twisted steel and exposed walls, charred and blackened by the explosion. The blast had left the reinforced door warped and deformed, but it was still in one piece, resting on the floor. Where it had once stood there was only a gaping, jagged hole. The metal shuddered beneath Sami's boots as she moved across it. Soon they cleared the smoke, breaking through into a different kind of haze. The sprinkler systems had activated, sheeting the corridor in a watery mist. Sami and the others slowed to a walk. The floor was wet and dangerous, and they could not afford to slip.
Soon they reached the next junction. Ahead there was nothing but the same type of sterile, empty corridor they had observed throughout the facility.
"Right side clear," Blaine called out as he and Sami checked for enemies.
"Two targets left," she reported.
Another pair of Black Hole soldiers stood at the entrance to the medical wing, only a short distance away. As one she and Blaine burst forward, laying down covering fire. It was all the opportunity their comrades needed to line up a more precise shot and eliminate both foes. Any return fire went wide, leaving Sami and her team unharmed.
They covered the distance to the end of the corridor at a brisk walk, mindful of the still falling water. There were glass windows inset in the doors to the medical wing, and Sami tried to assess what lay beyond as they approached. Her field of vision through the glass was limited, but she saw no movement or other signs of life. What she could make out looked more like a hospital or medical clinic than what they had seen of the base so far.
She slowed as they reached the door. It was possible there were more hostiles on the other side, waiting out of sight. Charging in blind was dangerous; too dangerous, even under their current constraints.
Making a snap decision, Sami pulled a grenade from her vest, propped one door partly open, and hurled it through. Her team turned away and shut their eyes tight. One second passed, then two, and then…
A muffled bang, almost like a crack, reached their ears. The flash grenade had gone off, and in its wake the Special Forces team rushed into the medical wing. There was no time to prepare any further. With rifles raised they moved into an open area. An island of desks and computers dominated the space, and medical equipment was scattered around the edges. There was no one there. Two sides of the medical wing were glass from floor to ceiling, providing a view into several patient rooms. Most appeared empty, but one was alive with motion. Two figures in surgical scrubs – humans – were standing around a medical bed. Sami beckoned for Blaine to follow her and directed the others to sweep the rest of the wing.
She burst into the occupied room, Blaine right behind her. In a split second Sami assessed the situation. The two women looked like nurses attending a patient. There was nothing in their hands, and they did not appear to be armed. The threat was minimal.
"Against the wall!" She yelled, gesturing towards the far side of the room. "Hands on your head!"
One of the women screamed and did as she was told. The other did not. Instead she slowly turned to face the two soldiers, her dark eyes ablaze with hatred.
"Orange Star," she spat at them.
Sami took a single step forward, her gun pointed directly at the nurse's chest. "Against the wall," she repeated, her voice hardening.
The woman's lip curled in contempt. "Your time is up," she hissed. "The resurrection has already begun."
Sami matched the woman's hateful stare, unimpressed. A moment more passed before the nurse broke eye contact and moved to stand in the corner beside her trembling colleague. It seemed she had made her point.
With any threat contained, Sami's attention turned to the medical bed, and the tall woman who lay beneath the blankets. It was Jess. Her eyes were closed, and she had not stirred. Most likely she was sedated. There was a bandage on Jess's brow, and her dyed red hair was gone. Her scalp had been completely shaved. More concerning was the strange device clamped to the back of her skull, a headset of smooth, rounded metal that covered half of her head. It was connected to a power source by a cable, a mirror for the IV in Jess' right arm. Sami felt a twinge of apprehension as she studied the machine. What had they done to her?
"Orders, Cap?" Blaine asked quietly.
Doubt, unwelcome and unwanted, sounded though Sami. She had no idea what she was dealing with here, and no time to try and understand it. Jess was unconscious, but beyond that, her condition remained a mystery. Sami walked to the bed and briefly studied the device on Jess's head. She tested to see if she could pull it off, but the machine was securely attached and would not budge. There was no way to remove it, not without risking serious injury. For all Sami knew, even severing the power could kill Jess, but that was a risk they had to take. There were simply no other options.
"Disconnect her and get her up," Sami decided. "Whatever that thing on her head is, we'll deal with it later."
Blaine nodded and stepped around the bed, pulling out the IV cable while Sami covered the two nurses. She glanced away for a split second at the sound of approaching footsteps, but it was only her other team members joining them.
"Report," Sami said.
'No one else here, ma'am," Wyatt replied. "This place is empty."
Sami's attention snapped fully back to the nurses. "There were two prisoners brought here from Green Earth," she said. "Where's the other one?"
No answer. One nurse cowered and whimpered to herself, while her more defiant colleague simply stared back at Sami with those hateful eyes. Sami's patience gave way, and she fired several bullets above their heads.
"Where?" She shouted.
"They took her for a scan!" The frightened nurse squealed.
"How far?" Sami pressed.
"Just – just through the doors, on the left side of the corridor, there's a lab!"
Sami considered that, her mind racing. It was possible that the nurse was lying. Perhaps unlikely considering how terrified she was, but possible. Of course, even if it was a lie, there was no time to interrogate the pair further. Sami looked at Blaine, who had taken Jess over one shoulder in a fireman's carry. They were ready to go.
"Let's move out," she ordered. "We'll check the lab next."
The team withdrew with Sami the last to leave. Upon reaching the door she hesitated, and glanced back at the two nurses.
"If I were you, I'd get the hell out of here."
With those parting words she joined the others. Sami found herself increasingly uncertain as the team exited the medical wing, and she tried to assess the status of the mission. What if they couldn't locate Angel? The situation was precarious enough already. Her orders were to rescue the two Green Earth commanders, but she could hardly accomplish that if her entire team was trapped and killed during a fruitless search. It was better to retrieve one of her targets than none, if those were the only options. The more Sami considered the situation, the more she could not help but think it would be prudent – sensible, even – to cut her losses and withdraw, even though that would create a slew of new problems.
The idea was deeply confronting. Not because it would mean she had failed to complete her mission, but because she no longer knew if she could trust her instincts. Was abandoning Angel a tactical decision, or the petty revenge of a jilted lover? Sami had no idea. It was possible her own hurt was affecting her judgement, and that scared her more than anything. She could not let that happen. She couldn't let her integrity be compromised, or fail in her duty. It was a noble sentiment, but one that was of no help to her now. Her objectivity was gone. She could force herself to stay and search for Angel, but what if that too was a mistake? What if she lingered too long, and got her whole team killed in a bid to overcorrect for her own emotions? Sami couldn't let that happen either. She did not know what the right course of action was, and the weight of her doubts was paralysing.
With all her will Sami pushed those thoughts away. Their next objective was to check the scanning lab for Angel. Beyond that, she could only respond to the situation as it evolved, and hope she did not make a terrible mistake.
As the team entered the corridor again, Sami made sure to check each door on the left. The second one they came to was graced with a small sign: it read 'radiology room' in multiple languages. The nurse had been telling the truth about that, if nothing else.
Sami called a halt. "You two, wait here," she said to Blaine and Drew. "Wyatt, with me."
Blaine and Drew assumed positions covering the corridor as Sami tested the handle. Like the other doors in this section, it was unlocked. Black Hole, it seemed, had not expected any intruders to make it this far.
Inside, the radiology room was steeped in shadows. Dull lights cast a bluish hue across the metal and white plaster walls, but they did little to dispel the sinister gloom. Sami and Wyatt swept into the room, covering the area with their guns. The space was filled with the deep hum of machinery, and just ahead Sami could see a pair of pale feet stretched out on a gurney. They had put Angel into an MRI scanner, the great bulk of the machine swallowing her whole.
There was movement as they entered, a flash of motion behind a glass panel on the far wall. Sami brought her rifle up, ready to fire, but there was no need. She only caught a glimpse of a figure in a white lab coat as they vanished through another exit. For a second Sami considered pursuing, but she knew it was a foolhardy impulse. There was nothing to be gained from such an action. The enemy was already well aware of their presence, and their intent. Their priority was to escape.
Sami looked back at the machine, and at Angel.
"Let's get her out of there," she said, trying not to let the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat affect her voice.
She lowered her rifle and slid the gurney out of the imaging machine, her expression becoming guarded as she looked the woman over. Angel was slender, blonde, and pretty, in a girlish sort of way. Like Jess, she had been sedated and dressed in a hospital gown. Unlike Jess, however, her hair had not been cut, and a quick check showed no unusual Black Hole equipment attached to her. What that meant, Sami wasn't sure.
A trace of pain showed in her eyes as she appraised the girl. Sami knew that appearances could be deceiving, but to her Angel looked fragile, like a doll. Something that wanted pampering, and would offer vacuous flattery in return. Was that really what Eagle wanted? Sami thought, unable to stop herself. She scowled, hating that the question had even come to her. She couldn't think like that. There could be nothing personal between them, not here and now. Angel was a friendly combatant in need of evacuation, and that was all. She could not be the woman responsible for blowing up Sami's personal life.
"Can you carry her?" Sami asked Wyatt, tearing her gaze away from Angel at last.
"No problem, ma'am."
He slung his rifle over one shoulder and took Angel in his arms. Wyatt may not have been a giant like Blaine, but he was muscular and powerfully built. Carrying a slip of a girl like Angel would pose no problem.
Gunshots rang out from the corridor as they headed back towards the door. Sami raised her rifle and joined Blaine and Drew outside.
"Status?" She demanded.
"Two more hostiles," Blaine said.
Sami followed his eyes down the corridor to the intersection, where she saw the bodies of two more Black Hole soldiers. She allowed herself a few seconds to listen for any other enemies, but heard nothing.
"Let's get out of here," she said.
The group retraced their path through the base, moving as fast as they could. Sami and Drew took the lead as they passed through the still wet section of corridor, the air tinged with the smell of damp smoke. With their comrades encumbered by the Green Earth commanders, they were best equipped to take point, and engage any enemies who crossed their path. Soon the group was back at the door to the medical lab and into shelter once again.
A sudden breach of noise cut through Sami's radio, sharp sounds and an electronic whine coalescing into words. She blinked in surprise.
"Hey, soldier girl, can you hear me?" Lash's voice asked.
Sami's surprise turned to complete amazement. "I read you, Stray Cat. What the hell happened?"
"I dunno, we got cut off or something."
Or something? Sami could scarcely believe how nonchalant Lash was. "But you've fixed the problem?"
A snort came back at her. "Hey, I break stuff, I don't fix it. I don't know what happened, it wasn't working and then it was!"
Sami felt a flicker of apprehension. "So it wasn't you?"
"Nope!"
"And your status?" Sami and her team were almost across the lab now.
"Well… I'm locked out of any critical systems, so it doesn't matter how much you yell at me, I can't do any serious damage."
"I see," Sami said. "We're on our way out now, so any cover you can still give us would be appreciated."
"What kind of cover?"
Sami noted the sudden rise of interest in Lash's voice. "Anything you can do to disrupt the base's operations, any chaos you can cause, do it!"
"Like a game!"
"Right." Sami paused. "Just make sure we win."
She was left with only a fit of devious giggling as her team reached the other side of the lab. Sami threw the door open, only to immediately pull back as another burst of gunfire greeted her. Sami and Drew each darted their heads forwards in turn, assessing the situation and checking for enemies.
"Left side clear," Sami reported.
"Three grunts right," Drew said.
Sami nodded. They were in luck. This group was approaching from behind, rather than blocking their escape route. She took another grenade from her belt. They needed to act quickly, and get out before more reinforcements arrived.
"We throw a few grenades, then make a break for the exit," she informed everyone.
More gunfire rang out in the hall. At her signal, Drew leant forward and lobbed a grenade down the corridor, followed a moment later by Sami's own. A few seconds of silence followed, and then all else was drowned out by the roar of the detonation. A fireball erupted in the hallway. Out of sight, but so close they could smell it, could practically feel it.
The force and fury of the explosion soon ebbed. Sami's ears were still ringing, but she was confident that there were no further sounds of gunfire or enemy movement nearby. It was time to move.
Sami broke cover and charged into the corridor, checking the right side for more soldiers while Blaine and Wyatt raced down the corridor with Drew covering their left. Everything looked clear. There were no more Black Hole soldiers anywhere within sight, only charred walls and scorch marks. Sami's heart was pounding as her team reached the next junction and turned towards the stairs. It was a different kind of adrenaline to that which she'd felt so far, a potent and heady sensation born of the thrill of knowing just how close they were to success. They were almost home free, but Sami could not let herself give in to hope. Not yet. She forced herself to stay alert, to keep her mind clear.
Sami was the last member of the team to reach the stairwell. She pulled the door shut behind her, wishing she could do more to stop anyone from breaking through after them.
"We're in the access stairs," she reported. "Stray Cat, I'm counting on you to slow down any pursuers. Cruz!" Sami said, cutting off Lash before she could reply. "Are you okay to move?"
"I'll manage," Cruz replied with a forced smile. "Might need a hand with these stairs."
Sami nodded and moved to support Cruz with her shoulder. The others had already started descending the stairs, and together the two of them followed as quickly as they could. Their progress was not swift. With every lurching step Sami could not help but be aware of how much faster the enemy soldiers would be closing in on their position.
They were on the final flight of stairs when Sami heard the sound of footsteps above them.
"They're behind us!" She yelled ahead.
Blaine set Jess down inside the maintenance room and took up a position with Drew, ready to lay down suppressing fire when the enemy caught up with them. Sami and Cruz reached the base of the stairs and limped through the door. They were barely through when their squadmates started shooting, retreating into the maintenance room after them. Blaine lifted a large crate and shoved it against the door, then another. The makeshift barricade would not hold back the enemy for long; hopefully, it would not need to.
"Lash, if you can lock the lower entrance and stop anyone getting through, do it now!" Sami said.
"I'm on it!" Lash replied. "It's a low priority system so I think I should be able to…"
Sami ignored her. She could already hear banging as the enemy soldiers tried to force the door. There was nothing she could do except keep everyone moving, out along the pier to the water's edge. The team moved fast, emerging back into the sunlight to find the world much changed. The sky outside had brightened into the pale blue of a fine, clear morning, and the sight was almost disorientating. It was strange to think that despite all Sami and her team had been through, this was in many respects a day like any other. The sun cared nothing for the struggles of those below, but simply kept to its own rhythm. The world was set in its ways, and it would keep turning regardless of what happened here.
Sami and the others came around the inlet's edge to where their boat was moored. With all haste they wound in the anchor, cut the ropes securing the craft, and made sure the two Green Earth COs were safely stowed aboard. Next they began pushing it out into deeper water. Sami and the others climbed inside and got the engine started, steering the inflatable craft out of the inlet. Almost there.
"This is Red Lioness requesting extraction," Sami called in over the radio. "We're away from the coast and heading north. I'm sending though our position now."
As Sami made the report, Blaine activated a transceiver and sent their exact coordinates to their allies. There was a good chance Black Hole would pick up the signal as well, but that no longer mattered. Any cover they'd enjoyed was long since blown. There was nothing more they could do except sprint towards the finish line, and hope that they reached safety before Black Hole reached them.
The sound of distant gunfire carried across the water to their ears. Sami and the others ducked down, making themselves as small a target as possible. It was a reaction born of instinct. The boat was far enough from shore that their chances of being hit were slim. Sami glanced back towards the inlet, assessing the danger. She could just make out the tiny grey shapes of enemy soldiers against the cliffs. There was little real threat, she decided, not from a few Black Hole grunts with rifles. With every second the boat moved farther from land, and they were soon in no danger at all.
The gunfire faded away to nothing, and in its place Sami could hear the roar of aircraft engines. The sound was faint, but growing rapidly louder. She looked to the skies ahead. Distant specks were drawing closer, orange and green in the perfect blue sky. Their transport, along with an escort of Eagle's jets. Sami felt a rush of elation at the sight.
"Red Lioness, this is Tango One," their pilot's voice came through. "Standby for immediate extraction."
"Copy that, Tango One," Sami said. "We'll be waiting."
Sami's eyes stayed with the helicopter, watching it swell from a dot into a distinct shape as it approached. The Green Earth jets flanking it pulled ahead, ready to engage any would be attacker. They circled the area in formation, watching over their Orange Star allies like a guard of honour. It was then Sami realised that it was over. There was little chance the enemy could wrest control of the skies from Eagle, even if they had been inclined to try. There was nothing that could stop the rendezvous now. Her mission was complete, and it had been a resounding success.
They'd done it.