Solar Warden, Jakob Waechter [book club suggestions .TXT] 📗

If it turns red or vanishes you have here in the front a plug for the parachute you normally won’t need. In that case we have enough time to send you a bike that will get you to your destination. But don’t worry that never happened there is much failsafe build in. At the ramp we just throw our stuff out and jump. The automatic will stabilize your drop and you can enjoy it. If it is at the end to fast for you just close your eyes. You will be fast slowed down then turned up for the touchdown. There will be also a countdown for the last three seconds to hear. Then you can open your eyes and see your touching down like a feather.” Diaz finished the introduction.

“That sound easy. What does the emergency plug do exactly?” she asked.

“You won’t need it, but it opens up a parachute to slow you down and finally another parachute for gliding down. Then you are a sitting duck for targeting. That is not what we want to do. Also on your display you will have all information, speed, altitude and heading. What is nice to have. But you have not much influence to it.” Diaz looked around the last one was coming in.

“Major, I changed my mind I want out of this,” Green joked.

“Green, you are the first.” Diaz countered.

“Aye, aye, sir,” he replied and saluted.

The pilots come in and closed the door.

“Let’s rock,” one of them said. The others cheered.

Max was still worried but somehow something between excited and nervous. With the anti-gravity stuff things seemed to be more controllable. Space travel was a smooth and enjoyable experience like cruising at the sea, she thought and calmed more down.

“So your mission is to get Kelsey into the facility and secure it, while we search the Gray to stun and capture him. Then get him to the others at the cave. SW-3 will give us support. Ryan and Newman might join us later,” Diaz instructed, while the shuttle started out of the hanger.

 

Newman was done with the second mining machine. He left the shuttle to fly back with Taylor and Owens. The shuttles with the captured machines also left, escorted by two fighters. They flew to the ocean to accelerate there up in the sky. The backside route was not needed anymore.

SW-6’s shuttle was near the drop zone. Four went into the airlock and then to the ramp which was still closed but already depressurized. Then the rest went into the airlock including Max and Diaz.

“We have nearfield communication if needed. Also a team on the Icarus is observing the landing backpacks. So don’t worry it will be an amazing experience,” Diaz said then he opened the airlock as the procedure was done.

“We are coming close to the drop zone. I open now the ramp,” the pilot informed.

“Copy that,” Diaz replied. “Green show us your best performance.”

“Roger that.” Green was the joking one or he did it to overcome his fears. Diaz did not care much. Green was a solid soldier and that was what matters.

The ramp opened, at the top the darkness of space could be seen. They waited for the green light. It went on.

“We reached the drop zone. You are clear to go,” came from the pilot.

The four at the front activated the bikes and threw them out of the shuttles. After that a supply crate went out. Green stepped to the end of the ramp then turned around to see to the airlock. He saluted and let his body fall backward out of the shuttle. The others jumped just forward from the ramp away. Max and Diaz were the last.

“It does not matter how you jump out. The automatic will stabilize you. Forward jump is the most proven. Check the green light, then you are good to go,” Diaz said and walked with Max to the end of the ramp.

“Green light is there. This is nuts. Completely nuts!” She was looking down and jumped ignoring her fear in the believe everything will be fine.

“Oh myyyyy goooooooooood,” she screamed as the freefall effect came in and the automatic turned her into the position to look down. It was not that difficult as she anticipated, similar to the space training she had. Looking now down gave an amazing view. She forgot to check for the green light. “Wow, this is indeed amazing.”

“As I said. But don’t forget to check the green light,” Diaz added.

“Green. I’m here. But I have no light,” Green joked.

“Then do what you can best,” another one said.

“Screeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamm!” Green shouted.

They accelerated down.

Max checked the display information. She was close too supersonic, then the boom came. Sill it was smooth.

10 000 meters were left the display showed. Then the speed decrease. The ground was coming closer.

“Now you can close your eyes if it is too fast for you. The parachute won’t matter anymore,” Diaz informed.

The others were already on the ground near the shuttles at the landing zone.

“Oh my god!” Max screamed.

“This is hell reaching for you. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Green screamed.

Both started to scream further.

Max closed her eyes. The deceleration increased much then she turned up and the signal was to hear. Opening her eyes, she was close to the ground or at the ground. After two seconds she could make out a slow motion and then felt the ground on her feet. She had arrived. Green helped her to get rid of the landing backpack.

The others already opened the crate to get the weapons out. SW-3 was already there. Three of them had the microwave rifles. The other two use now a HK with the high speed ammunition.

Most of SW-6 had now the HK except Green. He also used a microwave rifle because of the main objective. For Kelsey the microwave rifle made the most sense, she was now full of adrenaline.

They jumped on the bikes and drove to the tunnel entrance in the forest.

“Captain, we are on our way,” Diaz informed.

“Affirmative, it is clear now,” the Captain confirmed to ensure the combat drones are no threat. They were circling further away in a waiting loop.

Green took the lead into the tunnel. With his infrared sight and targeting system of the Gatling gun, he checked his front for enemies. There was nothing to see.

Yamada was behind him. They switched into the corridor part. There both drove side by side until the crossing of the unfinished corridor part and the control room.

Yamada hit the brakes and tuned fast into the unfinished part. There was no one.

Green also decelerated and turned in the hall before the power generator. It was secure for now. The others fortified the train tunnel with two bikes.

Diaz and Max arrived. She jumped of and immediately started the work.

“As expected, he cut the cables. So he also cannot use the camera. Probably he had seen us coming.” Max took a scanner from the bikes trunk. She searched around the door. “This will take some minutes.”

 

Newman arrived at the landing zone.

He and Caine took two bikes, Ryan sent and drove to the cave.

 

“They are waking up,” Jones informed.

“Ok, get them out of the cave,” Knight ordered. As already discussed Samuel, Anderson, Riley and Ryan went closer. Anderson had the alien gun set on lowest. Riley and Ryan used the microwave rifles from SW-3.

The turtle faces looked around. They spotted the one with the rifles closer to them. A little gesture plays and they seemed to understand. It was unexpected easy to get them out of the cave.

Newman was full at work with the laser system. Finally, he thought to be ready, while Samuel tried to communicate with the turtle faces without success.

Then the laser started the work.

 

Max was done with her analysis. “I can activate the opening mechanism. But this is a onetime try. It seems the Gray did not take precautions there. However, he can stop this by sending a command. I guess he will be on the control console. So I will shoot with the microwave rifle a failsafe device. The automatic will then open the door. I don’t know how much time we have.”

“Good,” Diaz looked to Yamada. “Major, place your best shooter on the left, Green to the right. Shot as soon you have a target. If the door opens wide enough we storm. Get ready.”

Yamada selected Fujita for the shooting and prepared himself to storm from left.

Diaz went on the right with his HK. “We are ready, Kelsey.”

“I target now.” She had marked the position and used a targeting assisting system on the rifle to get the alignment. “Three, two, one.” The shot went off and the door started to open. It was a slow process.

Fujita had the best position. Knowing where the controls were helped much. The microwave rifles were on the setting they used in the forest. He saw the Gray reaching for the controls and fired. “Gray down.”

The door was barely open to get through.

“Check the area and wait till it’s more open,” Diaz said and waited.

It was now three meter wide open.

“Move!” came the order from Diaz.

Fujita and Green went in first then Diaz and Yamada followed. The next two secured the position at the door, also to watch the Gray, while the others searched the room. Finally, they went for the Gray.

Green handcuffed the Gray on his back. Then he and Fujita carried him out of the room.

“All clear,” Diaz informed.

Kelsey went in and plugged a spy connector to an optic panel. Then she opened her laptop and started to analyze. “I want to check now how they interrupted our communication and the cameras. They shouldn’t have access to the facility except they used our stuff.”

 

“It works. We are cutting through the door. I estimate to be done in one hour,” Newman informed Knight.

“Perfect, then we only need the Gray. I check with the Captain.” Knight switched to Icarus communication. “Captain, the door is approximately in one hour open. Then we need the Gray.”

“We have him. Kelsey is still analyzing. Ryan can secure the facility from the other side. Soon we should have the cameras back,” came the reply from the Captain.

“Affirmative, I send Ryan,” Knight turned to Ryan. “Major, you are good to go. We still have no cameras. Best you use drones.”

“We are on the way. Caine, Newman let’s go.” Ryan went to Samuel. “Do you see any success with the prisoners?”

“No, I cannot tell if the can read the stuff I showed them in their language. Maybe they just don’t respond or won’t speak like the Gray. But they seem not to be aggressive or trying anything to get away. Even the EEG is not bothering the one. From it we assume they can read what I showed them,” Samuel replied.

“Then it does not make sense to continue. Get your gears. We go back and help Max securing the facility,”

“Yes, sir.” Samuel close his laptop and put it into his backpack, then walked with Ryan to the bikes. They drove away to the shuttle. Ryan needed a weapon. He left the microwave rifle and his HK at the cave for the others.

Arriving at the shuttle Owens was there with Taylor guarding with the other pilots the shuttle area.

“We go back to the facility maybe we need a pilot again. There is still a ship to capture.” Ryan did not command Owens, yet. It was obvious he would choose him with having already experience flying an alien craft.

“My MG is read,” Owens replied which had the weapon in his hand.

“Sure you want use it. Against the armor it is useless and for indoor there are better weapons,” Ryan suggested.

“So you recommend what?” Owens had his favors which meant nothing for the engagement conditions.

“The HK with high speed ammo, I guess you don’t like, so the microwave rifle does fit. Also the alien rifle is an option where we have plenty at the cave,” Ryan replied and went to the shuttle. The others of the team followed. It was a fast choosing. Samuel, Newman