Supernova Blitz

Chapter 13: Salvage and Rescue

The Grodrrns have been firing since the moment they landed. Either they're trash gunners, or God is still looking after the human fleet. Sergeant Grey doesn't know or care. All he cares about is taking out these two battleships any way he can.

"Let's go, Marines! Our pants shouldn't have twisted our ankles! Get the lead out!"

It's the same team he boarded with last time, minus Hancock and the two scientists. They scramble into EVA suits as the ship quakes from the few shots the Grodrrns land, reminding Grey that if God IS protecting them, he has no intention of doing ALL of the work.

Other squads are also boarding makeshift landing craft made out of the smaller mining ships, escape pods, and whatever else they can find.

Tachibana gives a more grim speech, "Hell is a one way ticket, Marines! And we're going to see these walnut-brains to the elevator!"

The marines cheer, "OO-RAH!"

His team piles into the mining shuttle. Not one of his new recruits passed this test, but that's okay. They'll be around to pass another day.

However, when Grey looks, he spots a young woman fumbling with an EVA suit as she runs toward him. He smirks. He stands corrected.

Spaceman Long gets her suit sealed, minus her helmet, and she says shakily, but sternly, "Ch-Chief! I'm going with you!"

Grey hesitates only a moment. He says calmly, "You're still not ready." He offers his hand, adding, "Neither am I."

Long's eyes water, and she shoves her helmet on. She takes his hand. Grey pulls her into the shuttle and closes the hatch. He calls up, "Ready!"

"Ready, Aye!" calls back the pilot. Grey shouts, "Coulson. Check Long over."

Both Coulson's confirm, "Yes, Chief!" They check Long's seals and adjust anything needing adjustment. Grey listens to the pilot call on the radio, "Control, Alpha team, ready to launch."

"Stand by Alpha team. More hostiles arriving."

"More?" asks Tachibana, surprised. "What do we do? Do we split up more?"

"Away teams. Prioritize targets based on proximity. You have permission to..."

"Wait!" cries a young man's voice into the radio channel. "This is Spaceman Hancock. Dr. Lopez has it working! I repeat, the jump drive is working! She's calibrating parameters. PLEASE, keep everyone onboard!"

The other voice growls, "Spaceman, this is a mission channel."

Hancock cries out, "Please! I'm serious. Captain Long, please, I know you can hear me! Dr. Lopez can do it. Please buy us just a little longer WITHOUT sending anyone off of the ship! Please!"

There's a pause.

A long pause.

The silence is starting to become unnerving.

Tachibana finally sighs, grumbling, "I better get promoted for this..." She barks into the radio, "Executive decision! Away teams, we will NOT launch! Bolster defensive ranks on the hull! Priority one is denial of enemy objective!"

There's another pause. Captain Long's voice comes over the radio this time, "Chief Tachibana has my support. Away teams, join defensive forces and provide all available combat ability to defense. God's speed, Marines."

Grey chuckles, ordering, "You heard the ladies, Marines! Ain't the first time orders change!" He opens the hatch and waves the marines out, stopping Tachibana to say, "Chief... Thank you."

She smirks and nods, whispering only to him, "I'd have done it, but I'm not keen on being the gators' experiment. I can die up here just as well, thank you."