Ep.#14 - "The Weak and the Innocent" (The Frontiers Saga) by Ryk Brown Page B

with all guns on the northeast corner in the direction of the sniper fire. The building erupted in an explosion of glass, stone, and fire, after which several burning bodies fell from the now gaping hole in the side of the building.
    “ Holy shit! ” Brakar One One’s squad leader called out over the comms. “ Maybe those bastards could warn us before they jump out right over our fucking heads! ”
    The combat jumper turned and headed up the northern corridor. Flying not more than twenty meters above the ground, it tried to avoid the Jung chasers that Falcon Four had reported were being fired from the rooftops. Seconds later, it too disappeared in a flash of blue-white light.
    “ Telles, Falcon Four, ” Loki called over the commander’s helmet comms. “ Four squads moving toward intersection Micker Four from the south and the east. We can target the ones to the east, but we’ve got no shot to the south. ”
    Master Sergeant Jahal glanced at his tactical display, noticing that the icon for Brakar One Seven was missing. “Brakar One Seven, Jahal! Do you copy?”
    “Falcon Four, Telles, light them up. Then come back around from the north as quick as you can and put your guns on the targets coming in from the south.”
    “Command, ETA to our evacs?” Jahal inquired over the comms.
    “ Telles, Falcon Four, engaging the targets to the east… ”
    “ Troop and two combat jumpers in three! ”
    “…We’ll come around from the north and hit the ones to the south as your evacs are setting down. ”
    “Copy that,” the commander replied. “Let’s move!” he yelled as he charged out into the street and ran toward intersection Micker Four at the far end.
    “ Telles, Command. Brakar Two Niner is dead-comms, telemetry only. Coming in from the south, behind the southern targets. Six men, two out! ”
    Charging Jung soldiers appeared from the swirls of dust at the next intersection. Still charging ahead, Telles opened fire. Red energy weapons fire answered his attack, streaking past him left and right as he dodged the incoming bolts of energy. “Tell them to haul ass, and try not to shoot any of us in the crossfire!”
    “ Fuck! One One is taking heavy fire from the rooftops to the west! ”
    Commander Telles, Master Sergeant Jahal, and the last three members of Brakar Nine dropped to the ground as the incoming assault intensified. The ground shook as they returned fire. Directly ahead, Falcon Four’s nose turret tore into the targets to the east of intersection Micker Four. As he and his men continued to fire, Telles could hear the sound of the Falcon’s engines going to full power. He could hear the snap and sizzle of at least six chasers launched from the rooftops a block or two away, as the Jung fired at the climbing interceptor just before she jumped to safety.
    As he returned fire, Telles heard three distinct claps of thunder to the east. He rolled to his right and fired, then leapt back up to his feet and ran to the edge of the building a few meters further down the street in the direction of the incoming enemy attack.
    “ Bulldog Three, inbound to Jojo Seven from the east. Touchdown in two. ”
    “ Bulldog Six, ” a second pilot called in. “ Inbound to Jojo Seven from the southeast. One out. ”
    “ Bulldog Five, ” the third pilot followed. “ Inbound to Jo… We’re taking fire! We’re hit! Bulldog Five is going down! We’re going… ”
    The building shook after another combat jump shuttle appeared in a blue-white flash directly over Commander Telles, its shockwave kicking up dust and debris around him. The combat shuttle immediately opened fire on the Jung squads at the far end of the street as they sped over the tops of the buildings, then banked hard left and climbed away.
    “ Combat Seven! I’ve got a downed troop shuttle to the east! ”
    “ Combat Seven, Command. Bulldog five just went down. Vector to the crash site and check for survivors. Provide cover if possible, ” the flight