Chapter 3:
As if not caring that he heard his own damning words, the voice from the transmission continued to go on, the officer speaking to someone else in the room with him.
[Transmission: Prepare to send an excavator unit to reclaim the item. Judging by his course, there seems to be an uncolonized planet on his path.]
The casual cruelty of it was staggering. They were already discussing asset recovery, and planning to pick over the bones of his mission while he was still fighting for his life.
The very ones he'd been seeking help from had already written him off completely, reducing him from a loyal soldier to a logistical inconvenience that needed to be cleaned up.
[Transmission: Yes, Sir!]
Came another voice, probably the lower ranking officer the man was referring to, his unhesitant reply caused Silas's expression to darken even further.
[Transmission: Hang tight, Cadet. While we can't save you from this conundrum, The Agency shall send in someone to retrieve your corpse. After all, you are a Soldier of the corps.]
The transmission fell silent for a moment, and Silas could only sit there, frozen in his harness, the full weight of his betrayal settling onto his shoulders like a leaden cloak.
His hands, which had been dancing across the controls with desperate precision just moments ago, now hung limply at his sides.
[Warning! Shields at 25%]
The computer's mechanical voice jolted him back to the present, and the reality of his situation crashed over him once more.
The pirates were still out there, firing without remorse, his path forward had been cut short while he was still flanked from behind. Just what was a soldier like him to do?!
[Warning! Shields at 20%]
"That's bullshit!" Silas couldn't hold back anymore, blurting out his frustration with a roar that filled the small cockpit.
The word tore from his throat, carrying with it all the rage and disbelief that had been building since the moment that lie detector had flagged him.
"You bastards!!!" He screamed at the silent comm unit, as if the officer could still hear him, now he wasn't begging, but cursing at the heartless souls that just condemned him. "I told you I have no idea what's going on! You were just about to call in for reinforcements!!!"
" I put my life on the line for this corps for nearly a decade! And now you're throwing me away to die?!!!"
His voice cracked on the last words, the sheer injustice of it threatening to overwhelm him. A decade.
Ten years of following orders, risking his neck in void knows how many godforsaken corners of the galaxy.
Ten years spent watching friends die the so called corps while those at the top continued to live their lives as they pleased, even while he knew how unfair it was, he never once complained, acting like the perfect little soldier.
After everything he'd done for them, this was how it was going to end? Not with a blaze of glory, nor with a hero's welcome, but with a quiet order to send in a recovery team to pick through his ashes?
Fuck all that! There was no way he'd simply lay down and stretch out his neck for these corporate devils!
[Transmission: Hmph! If that's your decision then fine, We'll simply leave your corpse to the beasts to claim.]
The officer was clearly not pleased with him one bit. From his tone, it sounded like he didn't care in the slightest if this nobody of a soldier was killed.
[Notice: Transmission has Ended]
The comm panel went dark, the connection severed, and Silas was alone. Truly, completely alone.
It was apparent that no reinforcements were coming. No one would rescue him from this hellish situation. Now it was just him, his dying ship, and the wolves
at his door.
[Warning! Shields at 10%]
The numbers began to fall faster now, the shield generators screaming as they tried to compensate for the relentless assault. Silas didn't bother looking at the tactical display anymore. He didn't need to see how close the pirates were.
Right now he refused to simply sit back and watch his own death approaching.
[Warning! Shields at 9%]
Currently, as the numbers dwindled, His mind, strangely, had gone quiet. The panic was still there, causing his blood to rush, but it was no longer in control.
In its place was a growing coldness that enshrouded that beating heart of his.
Having nothing left to lose, his mind became clearer than ever.
The corps had betrayed him. His men were dead and if he did nothing, he was going to die as well.
[Warning! Shields at 8%]
But if he was going to die, he was going to do it on his own terms. He wasn't going to sit here and let the pirates have the satisfaction.
Silas wasn't going to let the corps recover their precious item from his floating corpse.
[Warning! Shields at 7%]
His eyes flicked to the navigation computer, specifically the readings from the system's long-range sensors.
There. The officer on the transmission had mentioned an uncolonized planet on his current course. A giant in size, according to the data, with a rocky moon that had a thin, barely breathable atmosphere.
It wasn't exactly a safe heaven but if he could make it to that planet, he would have some breathing space.
[Warning! Shields at 6%]
With a snarl, Silas slammed his hand down on the emergency thrust override. The ship lurched violently as every ounce of remaining power was diverted from the failing shields to the main engines.
The pirates, expecting him to continue his desperate evasive pattern, were caught off guard as he suddenly changed vector, diving hard towards the distant, looming shape of the moon orbiting the planet.
[Warning! Shields at 5%]
Warning lights flashed across every console, the ship protesting the abuse he was putting it through.
The hull groaned, stress fractures spider-webbing across non-critical sections but he was abl
e to make it past the moon, the planet now in sight. But Silas didn't let up. He held the course, his eyes fixed on the growing orb ahead.