Vega counted the police and squad skimmers and bikes surrounding the building. “My HUD and sensors are still on the fritz from the damage I took. Can you confirm what I’m seeing?”
“Thirty officers, five bikes, a van, and ten cars.”
“That’s what I see, too.”
“The van brought in an armored, rapid-response team.”
“I can’t take them on.”
“Not with one percent power remaining in your system, boss. Your grenade launcher’s offline. I have no idea what happened to your assault rifle, your neural disruptor, or your sniper pistol.”
Vega paused. He’d been so dazed he hadn’t even checked his weapons. He took stock of what he had left…a laser rifle, a plasma pistol, two shock-knives, and…and that was it.
Damn it. He’d lost a fortune in gear. The sniper pistol alone was worth five thousand, and his incredibly expensive and rare armor was finished. It wasn’t useful for anything more than scrap parts now. He hadn’t looked yet, but he felt certain his jetpack was finished too.
“The damage they did—I’ll have to kill Gendin and Bishop just to cover my losses.”
“Don’t sweat it, boss. The girl’s the prize. And I’m already studying what…that chippy…did to us. I can guarantee you that will not work a second time.”
Vega stopped at the door that opened into the first floor. “I still need a way out of here. The structural integrity of this building may have been compromised, and I don’t want to find out what happens if the whole thing falls on me.”
“I think you’ve only got one option, boss. You’re going to have to use the Spinner’s Blade.”
“That’s going to get me noticed by more than the cops.”
“It will, boss. But the primitive security forces here are going to struggle to find you once you’re cloaked. And even if they do, I’m sure we can outrun them to safety.”
Vega nodded, then opened a connection to his starship. Ever since he’d leaped out, the Spinner’s Blade had been circling overhead with the cloak enabled. If any air traffic came near, the ship’s AI would change course to avoid it.
Vega took command of the ship and directed the AI to alter its course. Then he set up combat parameters and allowed Faisal to conduct the rest of the operation.
“No cop killing.”
“Aww.”
“No harming firefighters, medical personnel, or people of any other varieties.”
“Medical and firefighter cogs?”
“If it makes you happy.”
“Thanks, boss.”
Vega collapsed onto the bottom step and waited.
Moments later, the Spinner’s Blade zoomed low across the street just outside, its dual-laser cannon pumping shots into the three skimmer bikes, five cars, and the rapid response van. Faisal even managed to nail a firefighter cog along the way, causing him to cheer maliciously.
Vega shook his head. If blowing off some steam by blowing up harmless cogs made the sky-blade feel better, then so be it.
All the cops scattered into the alley or took shelter in the building across the street. The Spinner’s Blade performed an Immelmann turn, then swept down to the street, stopping just outside Vega’s position. He lumbered as fast as he could out the door.
As the boarding ramp deployed, a rapid-response officer opened fire with his plasma carbine. One of his shots grazed Vega’s shoulder, but he kept going.
He’d intended to leap onto the boarding ramp, but instead, he fell halfway onto it then had to crawl farther inside, with Faisal pulling him along with his tractor beam.
By the time he was safely inside, three officers were firing on the Spinner’s Blade, but it wasn’t anything the starship’s shields couldn’t handle. The ship cloaked and climbed toward orbit as Vega limped toward his repair station, dumping pieces of armor as he went.
Vega collapsed with his back against the control panel for his repair and recharging station. Faisal hovered in front of him. He gazed at his reflection in cog’s shiny black surface. Dried blood was smeared across his face, his nose was bent, his forehead darkening with a bruise.
Anger swelled within him. And the face reflected on Faisal’s surface hardened, making it more terrifying than ever before.
Siv Gendin was going to pay for this, with his life. Mitsuki Reel…she was too valuable to kill. He needed the money. However, the bounty didn’t say he wasn’t allowed to maim her. He was going to enjoy watching Faisal play with her before they turned her in.
As for Silky, Faisal assured him that torturing and killing Gendin was the best they could do to make the chippy suffer before destroying him too.
And Faisal, whose pride was thoroughly injured, would more than relish the job. He would, without doubt, make it a work of art.
To learn more about Silky’s early adventures, check out Forbidden System, Book One of the Fall of the Benevolence series. In Book Two: Terra Lost (Coming later in 2018), you’ll be able to learn more about the part Vega Kaleeb played in the last days of the Benevolency.
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Afterword
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dahayden.com
Also by David Alastair Hayden
Outworld Ranger
Rogue Starship
Fall of the Benevolence
Forbidden System
Storm Phase
The Storm Dragon’s Heart
The Maker’s Brush
Lair of the Deadly Twelve
The Forbidden Library
The Blood King’s Apprentice
The First Kaiaru
The Arthur Paladin Chronicles
The Shadowed Manse
The Warlock’s Gambit
Pawan Kor
Wrath of the White Tigress
Chains of a Dark Goddess
Who Walks in Flame
Shadow Agents The Benevolency Universe Page 35