[dcs_p]“Well I’m terribly sorry about that,” Strider said sarcastically. “but you are going
to have to put up with me whether you like it or not.” He pulled himself up off the
floor. “Where is the medkit? I’m starting to feel a bit woozy.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Treat my wound, and I’ll show you. You look like you know how to take care of
yourself, so take care of my arm.” Joanna narrowed her eyes. “Over there,” she
said while motioning her head to the left wall of the command room.
Getting up, Strider pulled the kit from the wall. As he walked over to Joanna, he
quickly pulled out a pyro treatment. “Hold still and get ready for this,” he
explained. He slapped the small cup over her arm and pulled its small trigger-
cord.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Inside the cup a small intense fire ignited. Though very painful, it quickly
cauterized the open wound of Joanna’s arm. Joanna cried out as the high-
intensity flames seared her flesh, then pushed Strider away with her other arm as
she clenched her teeth together. Strider quickly moved back to her, placing the
cup over her wound once more. He pulled the cup’s second trigger-cord to
release a sterilizing coolant over the burned area. Feeling some relief, Joanna
looked back to her ship’s controls.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Strider fished two more of the pyro treatments from the small box. Placing one
over his thigh and the other on his exposed calf muscles, he pulled the trigger-
cords in succession. He screamed out in pain as the charges burst into fire
against his raw flesh. He quickly pulled the cords for each of the coolants.
Strider next grabbed two hypodermic needles from the box. After pushing one
deep into his thigh’s wound, he injected a nerve-heightening formula into his
bloodstream. He placed the other, an emergency adrenaline shot, into the inner
confines of his overcoat. This could serve as a deadly weapon or provide his
heart with the necessary energy to briefly keep him alive if fatally wounded. He
thrust his hand up to the right edge of the dropship’s mainscreen.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“That is where you need to target. If this area is hit multiple times, their engines
should fail. I’m not sure if they will scramble fighters or not. If they do, it’s a
bluff. Their fighters don’t stand a chance.” Strider winced as his nervous system
became more sensitive of his body’s wounds. “I’m going out into the corridor
system. We have to prepare some sort of trap or we’ll be dead soon. Please do
what I’ve asked. I can promise you I’ve spent months researching the pirate’s
capabilities.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Joanna nodded silently. She motioned him towards the door as she began the
process of targeting the Leopard class dropship. Strider grabbed his pistol and
looked to the corners of the room.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Wake up your friend. He can help us. Or is he dead as well?” Strider pointed
to Steven.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“He’s not dead, just out cold. Xandar thumped him one earlier. I don’t know if he
is combat-sufficient.” Joanna said. “He panicked earlier.”
“Very well.” Strider looked around. “I think we’ll be using the late Banter’s
needler. It should prove handy.” Joanna showed no signs of being impressed by
the proposed scheme.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Strider walked out of the room. Looking up to Xandar, he said, “We are using
the heavy shredder. It should kill a few of these bastards.” Xandar looked to
him, then back down the empty corridor.[/dcs_p]