Hellsky (Hunter-Killer #3)

Chapter 24 - Armour Diplomacy

 "Everflowing bloody River, is this serious?!" Fenix De Lunta exploded. "They want us to link arms and go for a drowning picnic with the Scraegans after everything that's happened?"

"Sounds that way." Preese rubbed his chin uneasily. "This for real, boss?"

"I'm afraid so," Ryke replied. He stalked back and forth in front of his squad with guilt clawing at every inch of his body. Behind them technicians scurried back and forth, running through their final checks of their war machines, their voices barely audible amidst the constant din of Stamm Basin's main hangar. The branches of the Brekkan army were swiftly shifting back onto a war footing in preparation for a new conflict that felt all but inevitable.

Unless he could make this work. If he could pull off another insane gamble. It wouldn't be the first time, but somehow the stakes felt even higher now, and he wasn't making the gamble on his own. If it had been up to him he would only have taken volunteers, but Bosede's orders had already been given.

HK-Rupture were going out there, and they were going together.

"We're only going to get one chance at this," he told them as he paced. "And if it goes wrong it's going to go all the way wrong."

"You just had to go and make friends, did you?" Brigg chuckled, folding his brawny arms across his chest with a smirk.

Ryke sighed and stopped pacing. "Look, I don't like this any more than the rest of you, but if we want to help the people still out at the Scraegar Labyrinth, this is the only way to do it. We can't just fight our way there."

"Does anyone even want to try?" Fenix muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know about this, Sarge. Even if they let us go for a walk through the badlands, when this war comes we're gonna be stuck a long way behind enemy lines."

"If it comes," Qadira cut in sternly, turning a disapproving look on the younger pilot. She was the oldest among them, even if not the most experienced. Sometimes, Ryke had to admit that he was still surprised to still find her here, given how acrimonious their introduction had been during the Crawler war. He still didn't fully understand why she'd stayed in Brekka rather than go home, but right now he was glad of her presence.

"Oh, it's coming," Erin grunted. "We played nice for a while, but the Scraegans aren't gonna let what happened go. They're getting ready for a big push, and we're not going to be here for it." She gave him a pleading glance, "Sure they can't send someone else?"

He smiled wryly. "Sorry, Two-Step, I'm afraid you're stuck with me." His shoulders sagged with a sigh and he made a chopping motion with one hand, silencing any further chatter. "This is happening, people, like it or not. And this one's personal, not just for me. Yeah, my brother is out there. Ivy is out there. But we all owe them a hell of a lot, and I'll be drowned if we're just going to abandon them. So it might be a crazy plan, but it's the best one we've got."

That got a low murmur of assent from the assembled pilots. Fenix scuffed a foot against the hangar floor and lowered her gaze.

Ryke nodded to the mechs as the technicians began to disperse, their pre-combat checklists completed. "We're not heading out there to start a fight, but we're going to be ready for one. Run all your system checks and make sure your rig is battle ready. Go!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" HK-Rupture answered in unison.

*

"Well, I can't make any promises," Sergeant Boxley said, "but they didn't start shooting at us, so I guess we can say that they're willing to listen."

The scout officer sounded more than a little apprehensive about their chances – clearly running a single skiff into firing range of the main Scraegan line hadn't been the most peaceful of experiences.