Samantha stood and blocked his path. Well over two meters tall, she stooped slightly in the crowded compartment. Upright she’d tower over him, but when she was hunched over, their gaze met. Her long blond hair had been tucked under a camouflage cap, accentuating already sharp features. “You’re letting Angus land?”
“Sam … not now.”
He skirted by her and worked his way to the rear loading ramp. The aircraft banked steeply as Angus guided her down, forcing Skyler to grasp frayed nylon straps hanging from the wall for support.
The items recovered on the mission filled six large wooden crates arranged in a line down the center of the bay, held in place by yellow plastic nets anchored to hooks on the floor. Despite the hurried search, the crates still looked secure.
“Good work,” Skyler said. “Like you never touched it.”
A dull thud from below marked the Melville’s landing, followed by a rapid decline in the hum from her engines.
“Nicely done, Angus,” Skyler said into the intercom.
“Thanks. There’s … ah … a bunch of soldiers waiting outside.”
The Dire Earth: A Novella (The Dire Earth Cycle) Page 14