Chariot 3: Conception
Chapter 39 – Overboard

“Sir, I am afraid Sissy is right. We are outnumbered!” V-Nus was sorry to agree that their defeat seemed far closer them what they wished for.

“Not for long.” Shoffer replied while disconnecting himself from his seat. “V-Nus, you are in charge now.”

V-Nus hesitated for a second without understanding what his Captain was about to do. He opened his mouth thinking of asking what the plan was, but instead, simply agreed. “Yes, Sir”.

“Cai Yiu, we need a prompt offensive action!” The new interim Captain ordered.

With the rapid movement of Cai Yiu Hun`s fingers, the three spherical probes started to rotate, forming a spiral behind one of the enemy crafts.

As he stood up, Shoffer jumped towards the hatch leading down to the Flight Deck. With full disregard of the implications that the free fall could bring to his safety, his hands purposely ignored the pipe that would guarantee him a safe descent, and he fell straight down, landing with his feet on the magnetic passage.

Once on the Flight Deck, both of his hands rapidly touched the ceiling above his head from where the two remaining heli-rings immediately descended.

“Sissy, I want you to engage both the heli-rings towards the closest enemy craft.” His calculative thoughts silently flowed from his mind into hers at the pace the rings were being assembled.

Shoffer opened the magnetic passage and felt the controlled depressurization bring his ears an unpleasant sensation.

Along with the cold air blowing on his face, the Captain felt the effort of his magnetic boots trying to maintain him attached to the deck. For a second he wondered if he would be blown against the bulkhead. At that instant, he had a clear idea of the speed Chariot 3 was flying at.

The magnetic passage then closed immediately by itself as soon as the two heli-rings were launched.

The three spherical probes finally aligned themselves into a lethal formation that exploded their enemy instantly upon the impact. The moment that succeeded, the just launched heli-rings hit the next Grey craft, blinded by the cloud of smoke left from the exploding craft in front.

Nevertheless, after deviating from the wave of debris, the four remaining scouters counterattacked, discharging all their canons against the Nibirian ship.

V-Nus proficiently dodged one, two, three shots by lifting the ship and then swinging it to the left and then to the right. But sadly, he could not avoid the impact of the fourth blaze, coming straight towards the hull.

And as Shoffer was about to return to the Bridge, the incredible discharge hit the Flight Deck of Chariot 3. He could sense the heat near his face as he felt the inflaming light penetrating the graphene wall that no longer stood between him and the outside.

The instant after the brightness penetrated the compartment, his vision went dark. Captain Shoffer felt the continuous discharge easing off as it exited through the hole carved onto the bulkhead across. By the time he realized the seriousness of what would come next, Shoffer sensed his legs losing their support, his body lifting from the deck and then smashing against the deckhead before being sucked out of Chariot 3.

“Man overboard. Repeat. Man overboard.” Sissy`s cold voice alerted the crew with an unsuccessful, and at the same time strange, attempt to sound compassionate.

“Noooooo!” V-Nus shouted as he watched the images of his Captain being thrown into the skies, projected on his lenses, while he tried to stabilize the depressurization of the now falling ship.