[dcs_p]The enemy pirate fired his own weapon, a slugthrower of some sort. Though it
missed Strider, the bullet ricocheted off the corridor’s far wall, only to bounce
back into the pirate traitor’s midsection. Strider was lucky. The shell had lost
most of its momentum and only punctured his epidermis. Crying out because of
his heightened nervous reaction to the wound, Strider reached into his overcoat to
draw out his FASA slugthrower. He stretched his right arm across his chest to
point the weapon around the corner towards the enemy’s location. Doubting the
wounded man had moved yet, he fired back alongside the corridor’s wall[/dcs_p].
[dcs_p]A cry echoed through the corridor. Strider whirled back to face the length of the
tunnel. His enemy was now lying on the ground, holding his leg. Strider fired
once more to put the man out of his misery. He then fired at each of the other 3
pirates, ensuring their deaths.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Turning back to Xandar, Strider motioned him to come forward. Xandar made a
short run to the corridor’s corner. With a determined look on his face he asked,
“Now what? You’ve got a lot of them dead.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Strider turned from the corridor to face him. “There are 2 left. Kinta always
follows the rear guard. That way, he can take advantage of the guard’s death to
make a kill. If there had been seven of them, then this group of four would have
been a group of five. Now we watch for the rear guard.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Yeah.” Xandar answered. “When we find him, we find Kinta.”
“No.” Strider replied. “When we find the rear guard, Kinta finds us.” he said
sternly. Looking to his FASA’s cartridge, Strider checked his ammunition. “I’m
the bait. I want you to kill Kinta if possible. I’ll take down the rear guard. Then
Kinta will take me down. When he reveals himself by shooting me, I want you to
kill him. Got it?”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Xandar looked carefully to Strider. “Very well,” he said. “That works for me.
And by the way, what if I don’t kill him?”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Then make a strategic retreat. Run like hell and wait for him to attack the
command room. Watch out for any duct vents. I hear they are his favorite
supposedly.” Strider looked to his stomach. Though only a small hole, the
wound was quite painful. “We go now.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Preparing his pistol, Strider rounded the corner of the corridor. Now open to
enemy fire, he was much more careful. After motioning Xandar to follow, the two
quietly worked there way towards the corridor’s next bend.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Expect someone very soon. The rear guard doesn’t follow far from the main
group.” Strider said. Just as he finished his warning, an enemy fired from around
the corner. The shell echoed off of the wall to Xandar’s right. Next it hit the wall
to the couple’s left. It landed with a thud against the metal floor grating, drained
of its kinetic energy.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Strider looked carefully around the corridor. Noticing a nearby duct along the left
wall, he jumped to its side. The enemy had not shot out of stupidity. It was likely
the shot was a distraction so that Kinta might kill one of the two from behind.
“MOVE IT XANDAR!” Strider yelled, but it was too late. A hushed FUWUMP
noise came from the duct opening. Xandar fell to the floor, holding his left arm.
Though the wound looked serious, Kinta had apparently missed the moving
Xandar’s head. The inertia from the slugthrower’s shell had pushed Xandar off
balance. Strider aimed his weapon down into the duct. He noticed a small
smoking hole in the aluminium grate. Firing multiple times, he heard muffled noise
within the duct. Kinta had been wounded.[/dcs_p]