Rise of a Valkyrie

Part 77

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Eventually, after what felt like a lifetime of waiting, they heard a soft banging on the lounge door.

Kayla rushed over, but paused as her sudden chill ran up her spine. She had to be absolutely certain.

"Rose's call sign...?" she said through the door, and raised her pistol.

There was a short pause, then "Bunny," came the muffled response.

Kayla threw the door open, and sagged with relief as she saw the familiar Rangers waiting out in the hall. When Thandi walked in, Kayla threw her arms around her and squeezed with all the strength she had left.

"Ow, careful!" Thandi complained. "I got hit. Lord have mercy, what happened to you?"

"Paid my idiot tax. I cannot explain how goddamned happy I am to see you."

"Me too," Thandi said with a smile, then she scowled. "But stop cursing."

"How was it in the valley?"

"A little hairy, but the squad took care of me."

Kayla did her best to explain what had happened to the Tiger teams, and her confrontation with Rayker, though she struggled to talk sense as she blinked back tears.

"Why didn't you contact anyone?" Ash demanded.

"I didn't get any radio signal until you girls came inside. I uh... couldn't figure how to patch into the Raider's signal boosters," she said, and blushed at her failure.

Ash cursed. "No, you can't—I just realized. They use a different protocol to our suits. I cannot believe nobody thought about that in the planning room."

Kayla nodded meekly, relieved that she didn't have another addition to her list of mistakes.

Ash, meanwhile, was all business. She strode over to Weslan. "Are you with the research team? Are you all in this area?" she demanded.

Weslan nodded.

"Okay, get them all assembled, we're getting you out."

"Wait—" he stammered "who are you all?"

Ash gave him a look. "The people with guns telling you what to do," she said impatiently.

Kayla exchanged an alarmed look with Thandi.

Weslan rushed away to knock on the doors, and slowly the young scientists emerged, staring wide eyed at the filthy, bloody-soaked, and armed women who had occupied their lounge.

"Kalya, listen, things are bad up there," Thandi said somberly. "Just as we came in here, we heard a dropship had been shot down."

"Which dropship?" Kayla asked, as a stab of dread reminded her that Christie had been assigned to a ship orbiting the battlefield.

"I don't know. The task force is dealing with it."

Ash had been communicating their situation to Lieutenant Akane, but turned back to them. "Yeah Vipers, they are dealing with it," she said sternly. "All our problems are contained in this room right here. Don't get distracted by things we cannot affect."

"I saw where they have the machines," Kayla said, "And Weslan here, uh... he knows how the drones work."

"Not interested," Ash said. "We have a solid attainable objective before us. Valenti's squad is holding down our exit route. We should escort these civilians out through the tunnels, and then we can evac them."