fanfic_name = Gotterdammerung

chapter = VI

author = Cicero Phelps

Rating = O18

Type = Alternative Universe

fanfic = Chapter VI

The hovercraft stood in the hangar bay, looking like it'd been through the GCW, the Line, and half the Rebellion. It stood about as tall as an Abrams tank, and was crisscrossed with dents and carbon scoring by the bow, which was formed by twin parallel horizontal plates that swung out for infantrymen to swarm through. There were twin open-air turrets, each sporting twin Ma-Deuce .50 caliber machine guns and a searchlight, covered by a slice of curved bulletproof glass over the crewman's head.
The pilot's module had a searchlight, too, which benefited the pilot, as the module was situated right above and in back of the bay doors, and offered the pilot a full 360 degree view of the battlefield. The pilot controlled twin 12-pack SRM launchers from his control tower, which gave him some protection against the enemy, in addition to his substantially armored cockpit. The armament was completed with twin pulse laser batteries, one on each side of the troop bay. All in all, it was a good choice for a heavy-assault craft, but a tad heavy for patrol duty. The reason, though, that they took it was that the other landing craft had been damaged or destroyed.
Miriya and Max took the twin turrets, which resembled the ball turrets from aircraft more than 60 years prior, while Admiral Gloval and Lisa took the pilot's module, and the rest rode in the infantry bay. The search location was five square city blocks, and they had two hours to hit every place in it. Or, at least, enough to find the hostages.
"Kim, are there any energy sources you can pinpoint to make this easier," the Admiral called down.
"I think I've picked up a military-grade communications transmitter down the block, about ten houses away. Not typical in this neighborhood."
The hovercraft floated to a stop five houses away from their destination. Rick looked through the window at a three-story plaster-and-brick house, with a crumbling front porch, a lousy roof, two cars in the driveway and loud, obnoxious music blaring.
Rick nodded at Miriya, who left the turret and took up a heavy battering cylinder like it was a paperweight. Then, he radioed the cockpit, "Ready, Admiral. Condition green."
The bay doors parted and the five uniformed friends rushed out onto the street, looking at their intended target. Rick and Max flanked the building, while Kim switched places with Lisa in the module and, with Claudia in tow, Lisa took her place behind Miriya at the front door. All rifles were aimed at the house, and the helmeted radio gear was buzzing with unspoken tension.
"NOW!"
On Gloval's command, Miriya broke the door open with the cylinder and took up her rifle as they charged into the house. There were two occupants at the card table in the living room, and they were taken into custody without any resistance. Rick came through the back door, and Max came through the garage entrance, sweeping his barrel in the forward and left/right side firing arcs. Lisa took control of the captives as Miriya held them both, one in each hand.
"Where are the hostages? Look me in the eye and tell me where they are!"
The first guy, a scraggly, bearded fellow with more in his physique than muscle and beer on his breath, stammered, "Up the stairs, man, they're up there, third floor!"
Rick led the charge up the stairs, but was stopped short by a broadcast from Kim. "Be warned, guys, we're taking fire from some of the surrounding structures. There are hostiles everywhere, and we're taking hits. We need assistance."
Outside, the Admiral had sighted a group of snipers who had taken cover inside an abandoned school. He called up the targeting computer and boxed in two shooters armed with man-sized SRM launchers. Then, the firing control told him that the portside missile rack had jammed. He grabbed his pistol, turned up his armored collar, and crawled out of the command tower to see if he could make it to one of the twin turrets, as a rocket knocked out the passage from the cockpit to the cabin. A sniper's bullet caromed off the windshield as he passed. Admiral Gloval rolled onto his back, and then to his knees, pointing his MOG at the sky, trying to see where the bullet had come from. He saw a silhouette against the sky, and, calming his heart rate and clearing his mind, a technique he'd learned after long hours on the range with live sniper rounds hitting all around him, targeted his adversary. That advanced course would prove very helpful yet again.
Henry aimed carefully at the man above the streets, and time slowed again. How many times had he trained for this? How many shots had he made in simulation for just such an incident? He concentrated on that one blot against the sun, and put over 30 years of military training into that one shot.
The standard issue ammunition hit the sniper in the neck, and, as he squirmed in agony, Henry's second shot caught him in the face. The figure slumped against the edge of the roof, devoid of resistance. Henry didn't remain long in place to mourn the loss of his assailant, and scrambled to the gun turret.

*********

Rick kicked in the door to the third-floor bedroom, and, after poking the barrel of his rifle through, entered it. The house was disgustingly deserted, despite what their snitch told them. "Base, this is Hunter. Were there any escapees from the house?"
"No, Hunter," came Kim's voice, "Base does not read any escapees. The target is dead; repeat, the target is dead, and we're still taking fire."
Rick and Max ran to the window of the room and started applying semi-automatic fire downrange at the shooters they saw in the streets and on the rooftops. Lisa, Miriya, and Claudia were all on the second floor, and he could hear their efforts to join in and help defend the ship. He saw the Admiral in one of the ball turrets, training the guns on the enemies in the street, who just kept rushing forward and getting mowed down like weeds. Then, Rick saw the flash of something come out of the corner of his eye. "RAP!" he screamed, and ducked away from the window. The rocket didn't hit his floor, but it did hit the building he was in. The two men raced downward to get out of the house, and, as they passed the second floor landing, saw that the girls were all wounded to some degree or another; Claudia was still upright, but had a damaged right arm, Miriya was clutching her left leg, and Lisa was unconscious, because she was the closest to the window. Rick helped Miriya stand up and lean against Max as they hobbled down the stairs, then looked at Claudia, who nodded, and took Lisa by the neck of her uniform while Rick grabbed her feet. This was a very elaborate trap, he mused through his fury and dread. They got back into the hovercraft and, with Henry taking one turret and Max taking the other, they left the neighborhood. Rick was on the control module during the escape, and he radioed ahead, "Bridge, this is Hunter. Please stand by to receive wounded. We have some serious injuries in here, over."
"Will do, Rick. By the way, we got a transmission from the terrorists. They've killed their hostages already."

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = Lightsaber01ATHotmail.com

enviar2 = Enviar/Send