Star Crusades Nexus: Book 03 - Heroes of Helios

Star Crusades Nexus: Book 03 - Heroes of Helios Read Free

Book: Star Crusades Nexus: Book 03 - Heroes of Helios Read Free
Author: Michael G. Thomas
Ads: Link
amplified through his armor’s speaker system. It was a minor detail but did tell him there was air in that part of the ship. It made sense of course; it was after all a pressurized section like all the inhabited parts of the ship.
    “Watch your sectors, marines. I don’t want nothing to surprise us.”
    Jack smiled at the odd double negative but said nothing. The Sergeant already seemed to have enough reasons to dislike him without adding more. Mentioning points like that had earned him a reputation for not keeping his mouth shut, and after many months, it seemed that he might even be learning something. The walkway was narrow, barely wide enough to stand side-by-side. The eight marines advanced in a long staggered column, each keeping their L52 MK II carbines in position and ready for trouble. Jack looked back and saw the blackened visors of his comrades right behind him. Their dark armor and tiger stripe pattern made them almost invisible in the blackness of the walkway. Inside the suit, Jack could smell the oil from the mechanical segments as well as the sealant used prior to operations to patch weakness in the joints and seal units. He took a series of deep breaths and continued forward. Sergeant Stone maintained an impressive rate of movement but stopped just before reaching the end of the walkway. He lifted his left arm in a clenched fist, and as one the marines halted and found whatever cover they could in the lifeless corridor.
    “Remember the briefing. Use low velocity rounds, protect the civilians, and avoid damaging the ship, for God’s sake!”
    Jack glanced down at his L52, checking the barrel was correctly twisted for what must have been the tenth time. It was a quick and easy setting and forced the weapon to reduce the velocity of the magnetic projectiles. It was normally a mode used for silent operations, but in this case it was to do with avoiding damage to the ship. With another signal, the tech specialist they’d brought stepped up to the door and attached a breached unit to the wall. A small articulated arm extended out, and he placed it on both the circular door and another on the control pad. A rubber-coated cable ran directly from the device to a unit on the marine’s back.
    “Twenty seconds,” he whispered on the unit's secure channel.
    Each of the marines heard this and tensed ready for what was to come. It was only then Jack noticed the bars on the right of his suit that indicted air pressure and temperature. All the levels suggested the ship contained breathable air and a fully sealed environment. He’d already heard the sounds as he moved, yet it hadn’t occurred to him this meant the interior of the ship was now perfectly suited for human habitation, just without the benefit of a system of artificial gravity. Jack thought of the design of the ship, and its antiquity amused him.
    Old school, Spartan would love it.
    The comments from the Sergeant came right back though, and he remembered some of the videos they had watched demonstrating what happened doing depressurization. It wasn’t pretty for those without protection, and even those in armor would be taking a major risk. The statistics for finding lost crew in a ship blowout still shocked him.
    Another good reason not to blow holes in the side of the ship!
    The possibility of an external breach was always a concern, even when wearing a suit such as his. Rapid or explosive decompression could kill those that were unprotected, as well as sucking out the unwary marines into space. Their orders were clear; they were to avoid damaging the ship, its cargo, or passengers.
    Jack watched the circular door with great care as the tech specialist accessed the computer system. He could see the screen and knew exactly what the young man was doing. He even noticed the man make a minor but obvious mistake, as he navigated through the ship's systems. He wanted to move forward to help, but it wasn’t his place and he knew it. The tech might not be

Similar Books

Never Again

Michele Bardsley

The Lawyer's Lawyer

James Sheehan

Fortune's Lady

Patricia Gaffney

The Painter of Shanghai

Jennifer Cody Epstein

The Last Second

Robin Burcell

Chasing The Dragon

Nicholas Kaufmann