About
As the ship’s alarm blared to life, Dyrk’s voice crackled over the speakers, “We have incoming!”
Jarvis dashed to the nearest station and activated it. “What’s heading for us?”
“Would you believe a flying battalion?”
Fenton shouldered Jarvis out of the way and punched the hull. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. Move!”
Jarvis pulled his hand off the terminal and pointed to the closest exit. “Stop antagonizing Dyrk! Get the best marksman we have.”
Fenton backed toward the hatch. “What will they do against flying cavalry?”
“You’ll keep them away from the defensive batteries.”
“On it!” Fenton whirled around and raced through the open doorway. The upper decks had been converted into a defensive nest overlooking the settlement walls.
Jarvis drove his knuckles into his forehead. “Dyrk, what do these creatures look like?”
“I’m not sure,” the pilot hedged.
As the silence built, Jarvis kicked the wall and drew in a deep breath. “You can’t call an invasion without visual contact.”
“I have a visual, but I don’t even know how to explain what’s there.”
Jarvis pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned his forehead against the hull. His eyelids closed as he exhaled. He took another breath and pressed the comm button. “Just tell me what you see.”
“There is no way you believe my story.”
“We’ve seen some outlandish things since we landed on this rock.” Jarvis sighed and stared up at the ceiling.
“If you insist, the oncoming horde is spearheaded by a massive dragon carrying a swarming mass of those green-skinned maniacs. And the weirdness continues, with a slew of winged horses with crazed riders.”
Jarvis slammed his fist into the bulkhead. His fingers flew across the console, making several adjustments before addressing every radio. “This isn’t a drill. Everyone, report to your stations and help repel the oncoming invasion. If those creatures reached the batteries, the settlement won’t last minutes...
Jarvis dashed to the nearest station and activated it. “What’s heading for us?”
“Would you believe a flying battalion?”
Fenton shouldered Jarvis out of the way and punched the hull. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. Move!”
Jarvis pulled his hand off the terminal and pointed to the closest exit. “Stop antagonizing Dyrk! Get the best marksman we have.”
Fenton backed toward the hatch. “What will they do against flying cavalry?”
“You’ll keep them away from the defensive batteries.”
“On it!” Fenton whirled around and raced through the open doorway. The upper decks had been converted into a defensive nest overlooking the settlement walls.
Jarvis drove his knuckles into his forehead. “Dyrk, what do these creatures look like?”
“I’m not sure,” the pilot hedged.
As the silence built, Jarvis kicked the wall and drew in a deep breath. “You can’t call an invasion without visual contact.”
“I have a visual, but I don’t even know how to explain what’s there.”
Jarvis pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned his forehead against the hull. His eyelids closed as he exhaled. He took another breath and pressed the comm button. “Just tell me what you see.”
“There is no way you believe my story.”
“We’ve seen some outlandish things since we landed on this rock.” Jarvis sighed and stared up at the ceiling.
“If you insist, the oncoming horde is spearheaded by a massive dragon carrying a swarming mass of those green-skinned maniacs. And the weirdness continues, with a slew of winged horses with crazed riders.”
Jarvis slammed his fist into the bulkhead. His fingers flew across the console, making several adjustments before addressing every radio. “This isn’t a drill. Everyone, report to your stations and help repel the oncoming invasion. If those creatures reached the batteries, the settlement won’t last minutes...