Free Ep.#14 - "The Weak and the Innocent" (The Frontiers Saga) by Ryk Brown Page A

remember?” Nash reminded him. “We can use that.”
    “What’s to stop the Jung from following us?” Eckert wondered. “We’re likely only going to jump a few light minutes, an hour at the most.”
    “We’re hull to hull right now,” Nash said. “We’ll probably take a hunk out of their hull when we jump. That might slow them down a bit.”
    Eckert continued punching in commands on his data pad. “I think I’d like to change my vote back to insane again, sir.”
    * * *
    Commander Telles crouched down low as Falcon Four streaked overhead, blasting the rooftops to their left with their nose-mounted turret. Streaks of rapidly fired bolts of plasma energy struck the rooftop, sending debris in all directions as both man and building were torn apart. Telles kept his head low, barely peeking over the edge of the large section of fallen building that was providing his cover. Falcon Four pitched up and banked slightly right, disappearing in a flash of blue-white light as two shoulder-launched chaser missiles streaked upward toward them from the rooftops on their right.
    Two more thunderous claps announced the arrival of more jump ships from the north.
    “ Combat Eight coming in from the north, ” the pilot of the first combat jump shuttle reported.
    “ Combat Three coming in behind Eight, ” the second pilot added.
    “ Combats Eight and Three, maintain one hundred meters until Falcon Four finishes their next pass, then descend to Kato Two for evac, ” the controller in the command bunker instructed. “ Watch for chasers. ”
    “ Eight staying above one hundred for Falcon Four, watching for chasers. ”
    “I hate chasers, ” the pilot for Combat Three grumbled.
    More energy weapons fire began to rain down on the commander and his men from the rooftop to their right, forcing them to duck down tight. Several men tried to return fire, taking hits that their body armor could barely absorb.
    “Where the fuck are all these guys coming from?” Master Sergeant Jahal barked.
    “ Bulldog One, ten kilometers, southeast at one four thousand, ready to jump in for evac. ”
    “I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Commander Telles replied as he raised his weapon just enough to get a string of shots off at the roofline to their right.
    “ Bulldog One, Control, got you on the scope, ” the controller’s voice called over the commander’s helmet comms. “Maintain approach, I’ll call your jump into Kato Two. ”
    “ Bulldog One, on approach. Copy you’ll call my jump into Kato Two. ”
    Several bolts of energy slammed into the large section of building debris that Commander Telles was hiding behind, striking on either side of his head. The third one ricocheted off the top of his helmet, causing the tactical display on the inside of his visor to disappear. “My TDS is down!” he called to his master sergeant. These fuckers can shoot , he grudgingly admitted as he returned fire.
    One of the Ghatazhak soldiers on the other side of Jahal took several shots in the chest and neck, tossing him onto his back. The master sergeant scrambled over to him, reaching for his neck to check for a pulse.
    “Teichert’s dead!” he called out.
    Another jump flash occurred directly behind Commander Telles, announced by a deafening thunder followed by a powerful wave of displaced air. Falcon Four streaked over their heads again, firing their nose turret at the Jung troops on the rooftops to their right.
    “Give me his helmet!” the commander replied as debris from Falcon Four’s attack rained down on them.
    As Falcon Four disappeared in another jump flash, the master sergeant removed the dead man’s helmet, checked it over quickly, then turned to the commander. “Heads up!” he shouted as he tossed the helmet toward his leader.
    Commander Telles caught the helmet with ease. He waited several seconds for the debris to finish falling around them, then removed his helmet and quickly put on the one the master sergeant had thrown