33

We fell into a buffeting storm, straps holding us secure to the benches in the craft. Outside, Saturn’s horrific winds howled and tossed us around.

With each second the pressure squeezed the jumpship more. Outer armor plates pushed in hard enough to make the bulkheads groan.

“There’s something out there in the dark,” I shouted at everyone, yanking their attention away from the visibly distorting hull plates. “And we are part of an elite force of human fighters striking back against it. Accordance commanders might lead us, but we are a human fighting force.”

Amira held up three fingers. Touchdown was imminent. Something exploded nearby, jerking the entire craft sideways and smacking us around. Close.

I tapped the stylized Earth and pockmarked moon on my shoulder. “We are the Icarus Corps. And we will make sure our world remains right where it is.”

“Damn right,” Ken said from the other side of the craft. None of us was sure how well the Accordance would support us. They were keeping their weaponry to themselves, leaving us to fighting with human guns. And if they cut and run, we probably wouldn’t stand long against the Conglomeration. “So we will fight. Fight harder than the Accordance. Harder than the Conglomeration. Because they can be beat. And we have everything on the line.”

“And if you think Accordance commanders expect a lot out of you, it’s nothing compared to what we expect,” Amira said, and made a fist. “Seal up!”

Helmets snapped into place with a hiss.

A second later the craft struck. The ramp dropped open and the interior of the craft filled with reddish, yellow storming air.

“Out.”

Explosions blanketed the air above us. A full-on firefight. Arrow-shaped Stingrays darted about as they tried to pierce the crisscross lines of defensive fire, but burst apart and rolled off deep into the clouds.

The sun was a bright daystar from here. Or maybe that was a ship burning in orbit far overhead.

“Cover,” Ken said. A twinkling star slammed into the side of the jumpship we’d just exited, ripping it apart. The debris sizzled and sunk into the fleshy surface under our boots.

“No way back but forward.” Amira took point and started moving forward.

We stood on the surface of a Conglomerate mining facility. Large, gelatinous, the floating structure in Saturn’s clouds stretched ahead of us for a mile. Treelike spines spouted flaring gas, lighting the hellish landscape randomly. Pockmarked ridges in the living hull provided hiding space for hostiles.

“Troll,” Amira said, pointing into the distance. The chilling and familiar shape thudded toward us.

“Crickets,” Ken reported.

“Okay.” I pulled my MP9 up tight and looked around at my team in their black armor. “Let’s go show them who they’re fucking with.”