Free Adventures of the Starship Satori 4: No Plan Survives Contact by Kevin McLaughlin

couldn’t fix. His legs had done something, soaking up enough of the momentum that he was able to grab the side of the ship with one hand while hanging on to the reel with the other. With careful movements he made his way to the radio antenna and plugged the cable in.
    “Majel, I did it,” he said. He leaned back against the hull, his entire body feeling wiped out from the efforts of the last few minutes. “You’re on.”

17
    A ndy’s radio crackled with static. He almost missed the sound over the rapid series of shots being fired by the Naga rifles pinning them down. He leaned out and squeezed off a pair of quick shots before being forced back under cover again. One of the rounds hit its target, and the small group of enemy trying to sneak up on the cave fell back dragging their injured friend.
    He smiled grimly and switched magazines in his rifle. They were holding off the Naga for now, but that wasn’t going to last. Their supply of ammunition was going to run short before long, if nothing else.
    It was then he noticed the radio crackling a second time. He’d turned it on as they approached the surface, hoping to reach the Satori. That signal was probably how the Naga had found them. In all the commotion he’d never thought to shut it down again. He reached over to do so now, but before he could a familiar voice sounded in his earpiece.
    “Satori to landing team,” Majel said. “The ship is currently trapped by the Naga AI operating the station. Computer systems are down, but I am attempting to engage the enemy AI. If successful the crew will return to pick you up shortly.”
    Andy whistled under his breath. What the hell had happened up there, and why was Majel contacting them instead of Charline or Dan? There had to be a good story behind this one. He hoped they would all live long enough to hear it.
    “Hang on,” Majel said. “Satori out.”
    “You heard that?” Andy shouted across at John.
    “Yes,” John said. He shook his head, indicating he didn’t know what was happening up there any more than Andy did. “Thoughts?”
    Andy scanned the enemy line. He’d hit a few of them, but there were still a lot of bad guys out there shooting at them. It was a matter of time before they rushed the place. Andy was down to his last magazine, and even if he borrowed from his friends they couldn’t hold them off much longer. Once the Naga realized they were out of ammo, they’d come in after them and there was little they would be able to do to resist.
    Or was there?
    “I’ve got an idea,” Andy said.
    “Is it a good one?” John asked. “We could use a good idea right about now.”
    Andy shook his head. “Probably a crazy one.”
    John laughed. “Son, most of the best ones are.”
    Andy chuckled. John had him there. If this didn’t work, he probably wasn’t going to survive long enough to regret trying it anyway. But if it didn’t work they were all in a lot of trouble. There was no way they could bust out through the mass of Naga outside the cave, and no way they could hold out long enough for the Satori to get there and save their butts. Retreat into the cave was one option, but that would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
    Which was precisely what he was counting on.
    “Hold the fort here for a few minutes, I’ll be right back!” Andy shouted over the roar as another large impact came from the cannon of the thing Beth said used to be Paul.
    He shuddered at that thought. Paul was an asshole, but if she was right then what the Naga had done to him was worse than horrific. No one deserved to be turned into some sort of living Frankenstein monster. He felt a heavy load of guilt. Andy had seen Paul fall into the pit. He’d heard what he was sure were Paul’s dying screams as the hungry Naga young attacked him. He’d been sure that the man was dead. How could anyone have survived that?
    Those were questions for later. He rolled to his feet and started back down the tunnel,