The War Across the Stars Read Free

Fargo .  This wasn’t in the plan.  We have been hit.  Shields are at twenty percent.  We need twenty-five percent shields on this ship to make it to the surface.  That is, without it getting a little warm,” Jenkins said. 
    Ryan ran to the controls, in the helm.  We began to go faster.
    “What are you doing?” Jenkins asked.
    “Trying not to get killed!” Ryan said back.
    “Oh… Oh… Oh, good idea!  Have you ever piloted one of these transports?”
    “Nope, just Interceptors.  Quite a difference,” Ryan told us.
    “That’s just grand,” Jenkins murmured. 
    We continued to descend rapidly.  Through the window I could see laser blasts pass by, narrowly missing our transport.  It was only a matter of time before they secured a missile lock.
    We started going through the atmosphere, a warm glow appearing around the shields.
    “Shields are at twelve percent,” Ryan said as we went deeper into the atmosphere. 
    It was eating away our shields, which needed to remain active due to what appeared to be multiple design flaws with the new transport.
    “Seven percent!” he called. 
    I climbed up into a small glass dome.  It was located in the center of the ship.  Multiple missiles were approaching our transport.  Fortunately, we were out of range of Fargo , but enemy interceptors were in the air.  I slipped down the ladder just enough to call out to Ryan. 
    “Guys!  Missiles at six o’clock.  Ryan, speed up,” I yelled. 
    “If we go much faster, we’ll burn up what is left of our shields,” he announced. 
    Then, the ship shook violently.  I held on tightly to the ladder in the center.
    “Looks like Warp Drive is down!” Ryan exclaimed.
                 

Chapter 2
    The Base Strike
     
    I could feel the ship getting hotter. 
    “Shields are at zero percent!”  It’s gonna get awfully hot in here, Ryan called. 
    “I kinda figured that one out Ryan!” Nevin said. 
    The heat was quickly draining my energy.  Finally we burst out of the dangerous portion of the atmosphere, into the air that the people below breathe.  It slowly began cool. 
    “Phew!” Ryan sighed.  “That was close.” 
    I started to climb down the ladder when I saw something with the corner of my eye.  I turned my head and saw two VDF-74 interceptors coming for us fast. 
    “We have company!” I announced.  “They’re opening fire!”
    “This can’t be happening!” Jenkins uttered. 
    “Well it is!” I responded. 
    “We’re all gonna DIE!”  Jenkins screamed in fright.
    “Well… I’m trying to avoid that!” Ryan shouted back. 
    The ship shook again and began to fall downward.  The already rough ride quickly felt as if everything had gone wrong.  A steady alarm activated in the helm, only adding to the chaos.
    “Guys!  I’m losing control,” Ryan told us.  “Engines are down!”
                  “Please don’t get us killed,” Philip said.
    I climbed back up the ladder.  Suddenly cannon fire shattered the window dome.  I simply let go of the ladder to avoid a bullet through the brain.  Pieces of the shattered window fell to the floor below. 
    “Ow… What was that?” Max grunted when some of the pieces cut his arm. 
    “We’re still falling!”  Ryan said from the helm.  “About a minute before impact!”
                  “Everyone to the back of the ship, I've pulled up as far as I can!” Ryan said as he came running out of the helm. 
                  “Here it comes!” Nevin warned as we all held onto anything in the back to support us.
                  A loud crunching sound filled the air.  We saw fire in the front of the ship.  I closed my eyes as the front of the ship came closer.  The crunching grew louder. 
    “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Jenkins screamed in terror.
                  The crunching stopped.  It felt like we had stopped sliding across the ground.  I opened my eyes.  It was