Chapter 13: Kelta
I trace the pinged tech and tire tracks to an outpost in the forest, then send Holo a message with our location.Found him.
Holo>>FeatherLite: Understood. Cannot assist. See coordinates for available ship cave-hangar near camp. He can take a hit. Use the ship.
Hunkering down in the bushes, I watch and wait for signs of who and what else might be inside.
There are several Solcrue guard squads and officers. No one enters or leaves as I crouch in the bushes and peer into camp. A growl somewhere nearby catches my attention.
Swiveling quietly in the grass, I sneak toward the ship, watching my back, gun ready. It was easy to follow the tracks to the outpost, but I think something found my scent just as easy to follow.
Another growl, paired with scratching sounds, urges me into a sprint for the FeatherLite. A tree bends and waves not far to my right, then another, like something runs alongside me.
My heart keeps pace with my feet without pain, and I’m suddenly glad for the cybernetic parts.
Ahead of me, a huge mutant wolf with massive claws bounds into the opening between me and the ship. As I slow, trying tofigure out what to do, a shadow bolts out of the trees to my left, claws extended and ready to shred me. I stumble back and move my right hand toward its chest, firing repeatedly. The animal lands limply on top of me, coating me with blood.
Afraid the other is just waiting for its turn, I free my gun from under the wolf and point it in the direction of the other creature. It charges at someone standing at the edge of the meadow. By the smoother skin of their face, I know the stranger isn't Solcrue, so I fire at the wolf until it staggers and drops.
Distant growls make me wrestle myself out from beneath the animal. When I’m on my feet again, I run for my ship. Whoever was watching me before is gone now.
I find a clean part of my uniform and wipe the scalding blood from my face. It sizzles on my armor, eating halfway through it before fizzling out.
After one more check of my surroundings to make sure I’m alone, I lower the ramp and climb inside, promptly closing it.
Lifting the ship, I switch on the shields and head for the outpost. Holo suggested I use the ship and just blow the base to smithereens.
“Thruster, do you copy?”
I don’t get a response.
“Thruster, do you copy? Shots inbound!”
I get as close as I can, then fire a warning shot. Hopefully, it gives Thruster enough time to figure out what's going on if he's awake and maybe wake him up if he's not. I suppose if he's built to endure so many engines' worth of heat, he can probably handle an explosion or ten.
Switching from the blazing bullets to the blasters, I punch holes in the outpost walls. They crumble, and I fear Thruster isn't able to escape on his own terms.
“Thruster, do you copy?”
“Copy! Climbing out now.”
I circle the outpost as someone with a rifle fires up at me. Tipping the ship, I let the bullets skip by under a wing and then race around until I see Thruster’s gold body in the sunlight.
I drop low. “Hurry!”
He runs toward me.
An enormous rifle breaks a window on the second floor.
"Come on!" I hover the ship's steps closer to him, look back, see him grab on, and then launch us into the sky. "Hope your grip is still strong!"
“Go!” Thruster shouts at me.
I bank hard and fast away from the outpost. A rocket lights up the cabin as it passes just behind Thruster, barely missing our tail.
He hikes up, throws himself in a seat, finds a port in the wall, and pulls out a cable, which he connects to his chest. Seams light up gold all over him. Then he tags the outpost with a missile, wiping it off of Ellipsis for good.
Once we’re out of range of the outpost, I head for the hangar Holo mentioned.
