Page 1 of Stranded with the Alien

One

The Merlin canted to one side as Kara yanked it hard to starboard. Cannon-fire screeched past, scorching the hull.

“Son of a bitch!”

That was going to leave a mark.

She gave the S-23 more throttle and the distance between them closed. Vipers were bigger and sturdier but her Merlin was faster. Prettier too.

On the dashboard, the little plastic doll wiggled and jiggled in its Hawaiian skirt as the fighter swerved through space. Kara glanced at it.

“Hold on, Gloria. Any second now.”

She checked the weapons screen. The targeting system blinked red, trying to lock-on. Her finger rested on the trigger, ready to fire the nanosecond it turned green.

She’d been chasing this bastard for the best part of an hour, ever since the troop carrier had come under attack. Two dozen snakes had ambushed them as they’d headed for their refueling stop. No-one had expected them to be this deep in Terran space. They were getting cocky.

“Lieutenant Singh, do you read?” She started as the radio crackled into life. “Singh, you there?”

Captain Koenig, checking up on her.

“Alive and kicking, cap. Chasing a bogey.”

“You need to get back to the Idaho. There’s an asteroid shower heading our way. Rendezvous with the carrier ASAP.”

Kara frowned.

“I have the snake in my sights, cap. Give me five minutes and I’ll…”

He didn’t let her finish.

“Negative, lieutenant. Even the Vraxians are pulling back. Get your ass back here, Kara.”

The gruff voice of her superior officer brooked no argument. Kara glanced at the targeting screen again. She was close. So close. Just another second…

As if sensing her proximity, the Viper broke to port and boosted its speed, trying to shake her.

“Oh no you don’t.”

She matched the velocity and started to gain.

“Lieutenant, I gave you an order. Return to the Idaho now!”

Kara grimaced.

“What was that, cap? I can’t hear you… you’re breaking up...”

“Singh, you insubordinate piece of crap, you’re going to get yourself killed!”

“See you back at base, captain.”

She flipped off the transmitter. Koenig was going to have her up on charges but what the hell. Every snake she shot down was one less alien trying to conquer Earth.

Not that this one was making it easy. The Viper weaved erratically through the blackness of space, keeping her weapons system from getting a lock. She was grudgingly impressed. The pilot might have been a cold-blooded alien shithead, but he was pretty good.

Another burst of cannon-fire spat at her but she was ready for it this time, gracefully skimming to one side and letting the shrapnel disappear into the blackness beyond.

The targeting scope turned green.

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