Rebirth - Part 3
16 Mar 2021ZakMan2409
Damn.There’s an old Earth saying that applies to the situation I was in. “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
I had taken the maintenance entrance, which I thought would be unguarded. You might wonder why I thought that. I mean, I had delivered what is essentially a lifetime supply of onion head to a certain maintenance worker. A certain maintenance worker that was supposed to have distracted security, allowing me to sneak in without being noticed. I later found out that instead of holding up her end of the bargain she had dipped into her new personal pharmacy and passed out. Screw me I guess.
So there I was, walking through a door that was supposed to be my ticket in. Rather than being my safe, sneaky entrance to glory, I opened the door to find myself greeted by the muzzle of a firearm, leveled directly at my face.
Don’t worry, this isn’t how I die, but I had just been metaphorically punched in the mouth. Hard.
Instinct took over. I dropped low, sweeping the guard’s legs out as a shot cleaved through the space previously occupied by my head. As he fell to the ground I regained my footing, and planted a swift kick in his face. He went limp.
Once that shot was fired, I had to make a choice, and fast. Flee, regroup, and try again another time, assuming they don’t move the ship, or haul ass and try to salvage this fiasco. The whole point of this heist was to haul ass in an experimental ship. Easy decision.
I sprinted down the corridors of the installation with abandon, my eyes scanning the blur of backlit signs; neon guide posts leading to my quarry. I didn’t see any more guards, but I could hear them. As long as I stayed ahead of them and made it to the hangar, I was set.
I slid to a halt right in front of the hangar bay doors, which stood open revealing the heavenly form of the Ripper. The beautiful white finish reflecting the myriad of multicolored indicator lights spread throughout the hangar like a kaleidoscope. The ship danced in my vision, appearing to vibrate with anticipation, a reflection of my own emotion.
That’s when I finally saw the guards. Four of them. Each decked in imperial armor, with an elite issue ordnance launcher pointed in my direction.
Damn.