Page 47 of Game on Askole

“Good, I’m heading for the launch bay.”

“You have four of your minutes to reach a ship before the laser cannons come back online.”

“Oh yay.”Could this day get any crappier? My poor abused muscles protested loudly as I tore down the corridor.

KeeKee squealed in delight.“Go faster.”

My Spidey sense shrieked. I dodged to the left. A second later, a laser beam zinged by my head.

I hit the deck, rolled, and fired back.

The Legionnaire’s body disintegrated into a million fireflies.

“He want kill us. No like,”KeeKee cried, clinging to my neck.

I stroked her head.“I know it’s scary, sweetie. But don’t worry; I won’t let anything happen to you. We aren’t dying today.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Two minutes,”Tihar warned.

I jumped to my feet and ran like my life depended on it. And it did.

“One minute.”

“Shit!” I hit the launch bay control panel with a burst of power. The doors slid open, and I ran for the closest fighter.

“Not that one. It’s damaged,”Tihar instructed.“Take the Marauder on the left.”

Tihar must have some awesome scanners.“Yes, sir.”I sprinted up the ramp, slid into the pilot’s seat, powered up the ship, and closed all the hatches.

“How many times have you flown a Marauder?”

“I’ve got over a hundred hours in a flight simulator Central Command rigged up, and I only crashed four times.”

Tihar bellowed,“A flight simulator? You have no actual combat experience?”

“I have plenty of combat experience. I was under orders to shoot down as many Marauders as I could. Then the engineers’ job was to figure out how they worked. Central Command wanted to build a fleet of Marauders.”I tapped the targeting screen. An instant later, laser bolts blasted the hanger doors into a billion pieces.

“A jury-rigged flight simulator is not the same as flying an actual Marauder. The ships are difficult to handle.”

“Relax, I’m the best damned pilot Central Command had.”

“Space warfare is not the same as planetary air battles, and fasten your harness.”

“Yes, Mom.”I touched the Launch icon on the control console. With a tremendous roar, the ship catapulted out of the landing bay, slamming me back again the seat.

A laser cannon spat a ribbon of dazzling energy at the spot where the Marauder had sat only seconds before. Whew! That had been way too close.

KeeKee bounced up and down on my head.“Wheee! Do again.”

I quickly strapped in.“Maybe later. Stop bouncing. I need to concentrate.”

“’Kay.”KeeKee jumped on the command console.

An endless field of stars filled the view screen. I grinned. My dream of piloting a spaceship had finally come true.

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