The Firefight

"Get down!" Lyra screamed, diving across the table just as the drones opened fire. Searing bolts of red plasma scorched the air where Kaelen had been sitting seconds before.

Kaelen didn't hesitate. He squeezed the button on the EMP detonator in his palm.

A silent, invisible shockwave rippled through the room. The lights flickered and died, plunging the bay into darkness, save for the emergency red backup strips. The magnetic locks on Kaelen’s cuffs sparked and disengaged, falling away from his wrists with a heavy clatter. The two closest drones sparked violently, dropping to the deck like stones.

"Two left!" Kaelen yelled, rolling over the table. He snatched an Enforcer kinetic rifle from a weapons rack mounted on the wall, racking the slide with a satisfying chunk.

He moved instantly to Lyra’s side. Without a word, they fell into the flawless combat synergy they had perfected years ago at the academy. They fought back-to-back in the narrow confines of the bay. Lyra drew her sidearm, laying down precise, calculated shots, while Kaelen provided chaotic, heavy suppression fire.

The drones zipped through the air, their targeting lasers cutting through the smoke.

"Left flank!" Lyra called out.

Kaelen pivoted, firing blindly. His shot clipped a drone's wing, sending it spinning into the bulkhead where it exploded in a shower of sparks. But the final drone had anticipated the movement. It dropped low, its primary cannon locking directly onto Kaelen's chest.

He didn't have time to raise his rifle.

Lyra lunged. She threw herself entirely into Kaelen, knocking him out of the line of fire just as the drone discharged.

The plasma bolt grazed her right shoulder, burning right through the heavy armor plating. Lyra cried out in pain, collapsing to the floor.

"Lyra!" Kaelen roared. He didn't bother aiming. He grabbed his rifle by the barrel and swung it like a bat, smashing the final hovering drone out of the air. It crashed to the floor, sparking and dead.

Kaelen dropped to his knees beside Lyra. The smell of ozone and burnt flesh filled the air. She was clutching her shoulder, her face pale and shining with sweat.

"The shuttle... is locked on autopilot," Lyra gasped, grimacing as she tried to sit up. "They're pulling us back to the nearest Enforcer dreadnought by tractor beam. We're trapped."

Kaelen looked wildly around the smoking room. His eyes landed on his canvas satchel, still sitting on the metal table. Inside was the stolen, highly volatile Class-A plasma drive.

"No," Kaelen said, his voice hard with resolve. "We're not."