HAWK

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: BREACH (4/6)

The X1 standing inside the F-88 watched through the viewport as the gold-skinned alien piloted them towards the impulse shuttle. They were not far away when the friendly voice said a single word inside its head.

'Now...'

Green code cascaded down the X1's visor. Within seconds, a vertical split appeared in the side of the impulse shuttle as two huge doors pulled themselves apart, allowing the F-88 to enter.

The interior of the shuttle was cavernous. There was room for hundreds of ships, but it was completely empty. Dwarfed by its surroundings, the F-88 zoomed towards the front of the chamber where it slowed to a stop and landed.

Another list of green code washed over the X1 and it exited the cockpit to find the F-88's doors already open. It stepped out into the impulse shuttle and went to the front of the ship, arriving outside a circular doorway. The door opened up automatically and allowed the X1 into a twenty-foot tunnel, at the end of which was another round door. A band of white light followed the X1 along the tunnel, fading out as the second door opened up.

The control room was uncommonly bare for a spaceship. There were no buttons or switches - no Holo-HUD or control column. There wasn't even a viewport. The only thing worth noting was a white circle on the floor, three feet in diameter.

The X1 stepped into the circle and it immediately lit up. The X1's visor began to glow an intense bright green while a deep hum filled the shuttle as the titanic beast powered up. The walls of the room appeared to dissolve and suddenly it was as though the X1 was standing alone in space, basking in the electric blue hues of the IRIS.

'Advance...'

The X1's visor blinked and the impulse shuttle started forwards. Its axe-like head pierced the force-field's membrane and cut through it like it was made of water.

* * *

Mantana led the group to the end of the corridor and stopped to peer around the corner cautiously. Satisfied there was no threat waiting for them, he was about to lead them on when a sound like a bomb going off reverberated in the background.

'What was that?' Mack asked.

'No idea,' Mantana replied. 'But it probably means we should hurry up.'

With everyone in agreement, Mantana led them along the empty corridor until they arrived outside a door marked 'HANGAR-B'. The President did his number-pad trick with the touch panel and opened the door.

The hangar was eerily quiet, especially for a room so large. It didn't take Kas long to spot the Pegasus over a hundred metres away. Sitting amongst the hundreds of slick federal ships, the ancient freighter was about as discreet as a winged whale.

'We won't have much cover,' she said.

'Then we'll have to be fast,' Mack replied. 'Let's go.'

They all broke into a sprint, their footsteps clapping loudly on the polished white floor as they rushed towards the Pegasus.

Thirty metres.

Twenty metres.

Ten metres.

An explosion filled the hangar. They all looked to the right and saw the far end of the room was obscured by smoke and sparks. Kas could just about make out a large hole in the wall. From it,  several dark shapes emerged.

While the Black Chains were fast, it was Kymeira who was storming into the lead - a sight made even more impressive considering she was bearing Governor Swanne on her back, clinging to the bio-mech's body like they had just escaped from the pits of hell.

They were heading straight for the Pegasus.

'Let's go!' Kas yelled. The group ran up the ramp and into the freighter.

'Peggy!' Mack shouted. 'Shut the doors!' The old ramp complained with a groan and started lifting. While Mantana followed Kas and Mack into the cockpit, Worm went straight to her mech-suit and jumped inside. She'd barely sealed herself in when several heavy thunks struck the floor beside her. Kymeira and the Black Chains had leapt over the closing door and landed inside.

Governor Swanne didn't even seem to notice Worm as she dismounted Kymeira. She ran to the cockpit, finding Kas and Captain Mack standing in front of the controls. They both looked at her like a swamp-bear had just wandered onto the ship.

'What are you waiting for?!' Swanne shouted. 'Get this thing out of here!'

With no time to discuss, Kas and Mack turned back to the controls. The Pegasus was already powered up, but being as old as she was, they couldn't rush her into flight or they may as well have tried escaping on the auto-conveyor. President Mantana, who could offer no help at all, staggered backwards and pointed a trembling finger at the viewport.

'Swans...' he murmured.

Kas looked up in confusion, only to realise he must have said 'X1's.' Dozens of X1's had stormed the hangar and were running straight for the Pegasus.

She grabbed the bulky control column and hoisted it up, lifting the heavy ship into the air and sailing it towards the open exit. A chorus of explosions erupted underneath the Pegasus as the X1's opened fire. Kas winced knowing there was no way the old freighter could stand up against X1 firepower for long. Swanne must have thought the same thing because she suddenly lunged for the thruster and slammed it forwards.

The Pegasus bucked and accelerated away.