by

Yanick Champoux (38%)

Lee Watts (18%)

Josip Nað (17%)

Michel Lacombe (16%)

Dorian (4%)

goldkngt55 (3%)

Andrew Avila (2%)

Marten (1%)

Oliver (1%)

Part 20

Lee Watts (12/12/2001)

Sensors were flashing red across the board. Missiles, beginning to run out of fuel, were exploding as they achieved proximity to the Fearless Baboon. But the acceleration curve of the Baboon was slowly gaining advantage of the fighter-launched missiles. 30 seconds more and they would be safe. Well, at least safe from missile fire. Beams could still catch them. A relative safety until they reached the jumpgate. They had a few days to work out a plan for leaving the system.

Lucky they had the five minutes head start of the fighters, else they would have sat on top of the Baboon when they had fired the first volley of missiles. And their slug guns would have had better accuracy as well. As it was, only a few had hit. Nothing vital*

"Oh, shit," said Byran as he saw the damage to the crew quarters. He had been devoting all of his attention to dodging the inbound missiles that he had not thought much of internal damage. He had activated the automatic repair systems without much thought. But now* He could devote more attention to the internal events.

A few taps at the controls with this replacement arm and he brought up details of the damage. A few more clicks of his metal fingers and he brought up the internal display. He saw the Vau transporting the young woman to the medical bay and his friend's charred body being worked by a half dozen Vau.

"Dam'd, bud'y. Yus messed up good. Makes me arm hurt just look'n at ya." Byran rubbed the stump where his mechanical arm joined his body. "Guess I can't keep on blaming ya for d'is. But da'll be able to fix ya right up."

Byran pushed his combat lens off, disconnecting them form his flight controls and dragged them over his dread locks. Then the weaponry glove came off his left-hand, his real hand.

He checked the gauges. Red lights slowly going out as the automated repair systems kept working. Soon the board was green and the Baboon's velocity was greater then the fighters could maintain and gradually pulling away as the fighters regrouped for their return flight. He plotted a course to the gate, fastest route, and set the autopilot.

Some moments later, he sat up from his flight board, time to go check on his long time friend and find out who the woman was. Figures that he would be dragging a woman long with him. Leaving the ship's bridge, he did not notice the Vau removing the think machine and skill wires from his friend's remains nor them prepping the unknown woman for surgery.