Free The Stars Came Back by Rolf Nelson

up to speed, then takes off after Helton.
     
    CUT TO
    INT - DAY - Flier cargo bay
    The cargo bay loading ramp is about two-thirds closed. Harbin, now with a safety line clipped to his harness, checks the buckles of those seated on the cargo deck wall. Next to him, a passenger pours a cup of water from the 20L can they had brought aboard. A loud roaring of air rushing past an open door fills the cargo bay, everyone’s hair is blowing a bit. There is a metallic CLANK as the water can sprouts two holes, one facing the open ramp and one on the opposite side. Harbin jerks his head around to look out the back door. There is a spurt of hydraulic oil out from near the ramp lift pistons. One of the lines springs a bullet hole, and the ramp stops closing.
    Camera view pans to look out the back door, then zooms in on the small quad-rotor that is now just a little way behind them, its pilot aiming at them with the mounted machine gun.
     
    CUT TO
    V iew from the front of cargo bay looking out the back hatch
    Passengers line the wall, buckled in, holding various items like the duffels, ammo bandoleers, and the water can. Harbin snatches his rifle from the man holding it for him, barrel-down, steps to the back door and braces with a knee and one hand, then starts firing at the quad-rotor as it dodges and jerks behind the swooping, twisting ship. Harbin struggles to keep his feet as the flier dives and swerves, the view out the back door shifting wildly. A series of holes appear in the loading ramp. Splashes of bullets bouncing off interior points glint around the cargo hold.
     
    INSET - A bullet passes through Harbin’s leg as he stands there, blood leaking out of the entry wound, and a small spray of gore out the exit wound. More than a scratch but not hitting bone.
     
    Harbin fires one handed, fires, fires again, but the combination of Helton’s evasive flying and erratic quad-rotor motion is hard even for him. He drops the magazine, inserts another one from a pocket, switches to full auto and hoses down the general area of the quad-rotor, brass flying.
     
    CUT TO
    Flier cockpit
    Helton twists and turns the control yoke as the canyon walls flash by through windows and screens. He flips a switch, adjusts a large lever forward. He grits his teeth and, seeing a sheer wall ahead, pulls back hard on the yoke.
     
    CUT TO
    EXT - DAY - Over-the-s houlder POV of quad-rotor pilot
    One hand is on the belt-fed pintle-mounted light machine gun, the other on the control yoke. As he flies erratically back and forth, he fires bursts at the flier, sometimes hitting it, sometimes shooting wide. They swoop through a series of tight turns with steep canyon walls on each side. A bullet from Harbin breaks his windscreen, making him swerve. He fires back. Another swooping curve, another round tears a small hole in the front of his quad-rotor. He shoots again. A stream of tracer fire blossoms out from the flier as Harbin fires on full auto. The quad dodges wildly to avoid it. The tracers cease, and the quad banks back to fire another burst. Suddenly, the flier pulls straight up, revealing a sheer rock wall ahead.
     
    CUT TO
    INT - DAY - Cargo bay, view of Harbin
    Rifle still shouldered he inserts another magazine. The view out the aft door changes sharply as Helton stands the craft on its tail and climbs straight up. Shift to slow motion, Harbin is pitched forward and through the half open ramp door, getting a clear and close shot at the quad-rotor. As Harbin falls through the air he points the rifle, firing on full auto. Tracers rip through the quad pilot and one motor.
     
    Cut back
    EXT - DAY - Quad pilot over-the-shoulder POV, slo w motion
    Helton’s flier goes straight up . As Harbin drops out trailing his safety line on the harness, he fires a long burst. The quad engine explodes, the windshield shatters, the pilot rocks back as rounds rip through him. The quad-rotor is heading straight for where Harbin falls though the air. He’s jerked up hard