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Chapter 20. Above Nu Neden Terminal Space Port on the planet Anemone.
Egon felt G-forces squash him down in the seat. Red lights flashed and warning alarms buzzed. He saw a bright flash from outside the window, followed by a blast, flames and smoke. The JXX shuddered. They were flying upside down looking at the debris trail in the sky. He could feel himself rotating.
He was alive. A little shaken but alive. "What did you do?"
"The Immelmann turn," said CPO Modine.
"That's not taught at the Academy, is it?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWNZx25QsG
"It's a move from the beginning days of aerial combat named after the first ace."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG43oOp9bxR
"Where did you learn that?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLfca74HNS
"Let's just say doing those type of maneuvers is an easy way to get reassigned to a desk job doing astronavigation charts."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKXEczCWLr
"It looks like the two starfighters are not on the screen."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4njlVma57F
"Where's the third one?"
"Circling around."
"It will be coming for us. I intend to be gone when it gets here. Could you do something about those buzzers?"
Egon reached over and touched a virtual screen with his hand. "Can we outrun them?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmww3nglGR
"It's their weapons system that I can't outrun. Comcek."
"We're still being jammed. Can the Eridanus or Prinz help us?"623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpEJu30iQt
"Let's hope the convoy is still there when we break atmosphere."
"What do you mean? Where would they go?"
"Put yourself in Captain Promis' position. What would you give priority to?"
"I understand. The mission comes first. We're expendable, aren't we? What is our present course, Modine?"
"I'm flying toward the sun. It might help to cloak us."
"Another flying ace's trick?"
"I'll tell you, flying strictly by the book can get us killed."
"Comcek. I'm getting a signal."
"This is Xan on the Prinz. Go ahead Jax Six."
"We are under attack. Please advise."
"There is a squadron of P-1 Starfighters approaching at hypersonic speeds. Do what you have to do to return to ship. Xan out."
"Somehow I'm not feeling very uplifted by that," said Egon.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebT20OJIEA
"This is no time for aphorisms. You just need something to do. Go check on the passengers."
"You're not going to make any deft moves when I'm out of the seat, are you?"
"I don't plan on any. Tell them we have run into some turbulence and may have to return to the mother ship."
Egon unbuckled, turned and went down the narrow passageway to the main hold. He recognized Subcommander Jurusha Sanas. "CPO Modine said we are experiencing a little turbulence and need to return to the ship."
"That explosion was more than turbulence," said Subcom Sanas. "I've flown on many Jax shuttles in my day, but this has been the wildest ride of all time. Could you just explain what is going on?"
Egon felt his face turn red. "We had some starfighters engage us."
"And the threat has passed?"
"Now we have a squadron of P-1 Starfighters coming after us."
"I see how the situation has improved itself."623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefBtrmTma7
Subcom Sanas followed Egon back to the cockpit, and sat in the jumpseat. The shuttle had broken the atmosphere, high above the planet Anemone.623Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9yvegdDfs
"Navcek" said Modine.
"We're at the exact coordinates of where the convoy should be."
The three of them checked the coordinates and the instruments again. The convoy was nowhere to be seen.
To be continued . . .
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