Renegades (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 3)

Chapter 28

Julian Gottlieb was watching the newest development from the bridge of the Independence Zero, and was in what some could call a slight fit of rage. He was gripping the rail near the observation window with a great intensity when the Renegade came into view, decloaking and practically singlehandedly destroying every Void-class ship that was engaging the Resistance army. Then, after freeing the Dreadnought from the boarding party of several GDF Elites, Gottlieb had had enough. He whipped around and turned to the second-in command, who was staring at him with a face of nervousness and awe. "I want every single ounce of power we have diverted to the main batteries, and for all of them to target that ship. I WANT THAT ENTIRE CARRIER OBLITERATED! IS THAT CLEAR?!" The second-in-command nodded his head quickly and rushed over to the technicians to relay the order. Shortly afterwards, Gottlieb watched as the fire rate of the cannons on each of the GDF ships increased rapidly, and struck the Dreadnought with even more intensity. They would not be getting away this time. He smiled, and then heard a monotone voice come over the radio. "Director Gottlieb." He rushed over to the technician monitor where the transmission was coming from, and saw that it was coming from directly inside the Dreadnought. So, it appeared that some of the Elites had managed to survive. "This is Gottlieb." He responded, and the Elite replied back quickly. "We have managed to infiltrate the main engine room, and we have the opportunity to sabotage the carrier's engine. Our escape has been cut off, however. What are your orders, Director?" Gottlieb could barely contain his grin. This was the opportunity he needed. The lives of a few Elites were replaceable. This would end the problem that had been plaguing him for a while. The Slingers could pay for their crimes in hell, and they would simply pick up the Dorado Pieces from the wreckage. Gottlieb spoke into the mic very deliberately. "The order is given. Blow the ship."

Andress had just cleared the hangar and stepped out of the Renegade with Bunker and Koil, then ducked as a new hail of bullets passed over her head. She aimed her composite rifle, kicking back with her feet so she would land on her back, raising her eye to the sniper scope. He old GDF training was coming back to her as she pulled the trigger, landing a perfect headshot to the Elite coming through the hangar door. Koil and Bunker managed to take care of the rest with their weapons with higher rates of fire. Andress stood up and radioed back to the General. "We've just landed. We're coming to you, hold down the fort till we get there." She looked back at the ship and saw the rest of the crew standing there, looking at her. With everyone's eyes on her, she felt like Melinda...She shook her head to focus, and motioned to Nolun's unconscious body. "Trace, Elicia, stay with him. If anyone else comes into this hangar, kill them. The rest of you, come with me. We're heading to the bridge." Zero stood up in the main cabin, and drew his plasma sword from his back. "I am coming with you. I have as much of a grudge against these soldiers as you do. If it will help me earn my trust with you, then I will help you." Andress looked warily at Zero, then saw Dante nod his head subtly. If he trusted him, then so could she. "Alright then. Let's move!" The crew headed out into the hangar, and through the dimly lit halls of the Dreadnought, the power already beginning to fail. They needed to get this ship moving, and soon. Andress knew that even a ship as sturdy as this could only take so much. Occasionally, they would come across several Elites, and would dispatch them with ease, either with bullets from Andress, Bunker, and Koil, or blades from Dante and Zero. Andress was amazed at how in sync that Zero and Dante seemed to be with each other. Shortly before they reached the bridge, the entire ship suddenly shuddered with fury, making everyone fall over. The lights flickered, and then turned a dark red, signalling that emergency power was on. Andress got up and saw that Kovak was standing in the door, a solemn look on his face. "They just took out our engines."

Nolun awoke to a large bang, and the entire world around him shifting to the side, and hitting a wall rather roughly, making him fall and land on something soft. Before he could comprehend what it was, something kicked him in the chest, making him fall backwards again, this time in pain. He looked up and saw Elicia holding her stomach, a slightly shocked look on her face. Nolun quickly realized that he had managed to land on Elicia during the shift, and she had kicked him as a result. "Sorry...reflex." She said, sheepishly. Then, he saw that Trace was pulling herself along on the catwalk above them, and shouted down at the both of them. "Oh good, you're up Nolun. Now we need to get the hell out of here!" Nolun looked and saw that everything was somehow sideways, and as a result had to climb the stairs that normally were easily walkable like a ladder, with Elicia following behind and occasionally moving ahead of him to pull him up. As they made it to the main cabin, Trace was already at the main control console, trying to right the ship. Then, Nolun heard a familiar voice cutting in and out of a comm unit lying on the dashboard. "-enegad-aband-mmediatel-" Nolun quickly ran and grabbed the mic, speaking into it. "This is the Renegade, do you copy?" The worried voice of Andress Lovecraft came back through. "Nolun! Thank God, you're ok. Listen, the Elites blew out the Dreadnought's engine. The entire ship has lost power and is kind of...sideways." Nolun looked at Trace trying to activate the engines, and went back to the mic. "Yeah, I noticed." Andress sounded out of breath, and Nolun guessed she was running. "Kovak's ordered a mass evacuation. He's gonna scuttle the ship in a few minutes. We need the ship up and running, yesterday!" Nolun sat down in the pilot's seat, and began to move the joystick, and felt the ship begin to power up. "Working on it. Just get here, alright?" Nolun then looked over at Trace, and began to pull the ship over to the right, turning it the right way up. Then, he looked up at the hangar door, which was now up on the side of the wall, and saw a group of people running through the sideways corridor, jumping across the crossroads which had now become long chasms. Nolun saw Andress, along with Kovak and the rest of the crew, heading towards the Renegade. Nolun lowered the back ramp, and spun the Renegade around as best as he could, considering the now cramped space of the hangar. Soon, the ramp was aligned with the corridor, and everyone managed to jump into the Renegade's cargo bay. "Hold on! We're outta here!" Nolun shouted back to everyone, and angled the Renegade upwards towards the new exit to the hangar which was upwards. As the dropship flew out, he could see several other ships flying out with him, and managed to finally escape the Dreadnought's hangar. As he pulled away from Hytlia IV's atmosphere, he saw the 3 GDF ships fly towards the Dreadnought, then watched as the patchwork ship exploded in a gigantic ball of flame, almost engulfing the shiny carriers. Good riddance. Nolun thought to himself.