Ringship Discretion by Sean League Read Free Book Online Page A

in a short while with the ship."
    Ben and Amelia rushed through the ship as fast as they could go.  In under 5 minutes, they were already to the hatch Ben had cut into.  Ben looked over at her. "Don't loose that air!" 
    She gripped it tightly "Not on your life!" 
    He looked at her again. "Exactly!" and they exited the ship and started their way down the superstructure. 
    Helen came on. "Hey guys! You're back!  I was getting worried." 
    Amelia responded. "Helen, AJ's been hurt, but doc says he'll be OK.  As for us, Ben is low on air pressu..." Helen interrupted "What do you mean?! What happened?! Are you going.." Amelia raised her voice over Helen's. "Helen! I need you to pressurize the cabin first.  Ben is out of air! I will explain everything as soon as we get there".  Helen paused, then acknowledged. 
    Amelia was watching the cross members float buy when something caught her attention. "What was that?"
    Ben asked "What?"
    She pointed. "I saw a flash and sparks. It came from.." Ben grabbed her and swung both of them into a girder. "Muzzle flash! SHIT! We are taking fire! Amelia hold on to me!" She grabbed the girder while wrapping her arm around the O2 tank and held him with her other hand.  He pulled the M24 off his back and loaded it.
    Everyone started trying to talk on the static filled comms at the same time and the captain yelled "Quiet dammit! Ben, what's zzz sit...tion?" Ben swung his head and the rifle around the beam and a spark lit up the insides of his helmet. "We're under fire from small arms on the superstructure. He saw the next muzzle flash and fired a burst at it. The burst made him spin around the beam and Amelia's grip slipped.
    Amelia yelled "Shit! Don't let go!"
    Ben grabbed the girder with his right hand just as Amelia lost her own grip.  In a bit of panic, she reached for the girder again and the O2 bottle slipped away. 
    Ben pulled himself back up against the girder. "Whoa! That was a bad idea!"
    Amelia then pulled herself to him. "I lost the bottle!"
    Ben turned his head and could see it floating down away from them. He looked at his air. "6 minutes. Captain, we got ourselves in a bit of a pickle here". 
    The captain tried to reply "We are..zzzz way zzzz..zzz.be.zzz.oon". 
    Ben pushed talk again. "Say again? We did not copy". 
    "On zzz way... zz ....ere soon.."
    "Roger, that sir.  I only saw a single muzzle flash, so it may just be one guy.  He is on the opposite side of the superstructure from us." He looked at his gauge. "Five minutes. Amelia, can you get above me, but stay behind the girder.  I am going to try to get a better grip so I can at least return fire".  She maneuvered above him, careful not to expose herself past the edges. Ben pushed his feet against the left and right insides of the I-beam and held on with his left hand.  He peeked around the right side and took aim. Again he saw muzzle flashes.  There were three in a row and after the third, he felt a slight tug on his suit. He pulled the trigger for a single shot.  The recoil kicked him back and he lost his grip. He quickly hit the thruster buttons to get back to the beam. "Shit! This isn't working!"  He started getting light headed and his O2 alarm went off. He looked down at his gauge "0".  "Oh shit!" He turned and looked for the spare tank. It was now about 20 meters down.  He pushed off the girder and leapt for it.  He bear hugged it as he hit it, his rifle swinging around and smacking the back of his helmet. 
    Amelia yelled "Ben!" 
    Ben grabbed his emergency connect hose and tried to snap it on the tank, but things were getting fuzzy.  He tried again, but still couldn't get it. "Dammit, I..this isn't..it won't.."
    A hand reached around him and snapped the connector on, while a second opened the valve. Amelia's  voice came over the comm. "I got you Ben!" She grabbed him tight and fired her suit thrusters in the direction of the Discretion and kept firing them.  She could see more muzzle flashes as