128333.fb2 The rise of Lucin - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 84

The rise of Lucin - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 84

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THE warrior trio, Barudii and Horva, watched ships in the main hangar leaving without them. They were able to see, but not able to get to those escaping the horrible infestation of the rebel's Sector City base. Ships were rising off of the tarmac as fast as their crews could ready them for take-off.

"How many do you think?" asked Tiet.

"At least two hundred smaller vessels," observed Grod, "Maybe thirty larger cruisers."

The warriors and their king had managed to make it safely to the observation lounge nearly ten stories up from the hangar bay's main level. They had seen many people along the way that had been killed by the aerogores-left lying in pools of their own blood: men, women and children. The beasts were obviously not hunting for food but for service. This was a planned attack by a master of the elements-a master of evil.

"Can you see the Equinox?" asked Tiet.

"There are too many to pick it out," said Grod, "It may be all the way down on the other end where the ships all seem to be heading. Perhaps they have found a way out without the transgates."

"Wynn? What are you doing over there?"

The elder man was studying a schematic up on the wall behind the control desk.

"I think you're right, Grod," he said without taking his eyes off of the chart. "If I'm reading this right, there is supposed to be an escape tunnel big enough for the larger ships to be able to get through. It looks like there is a barrier, maybe a gate. They will have to open it to get out."

"Where does it lead?" asked Tiet. "Do they come out in the plains where that army is?"

"No. It looks like they will come out in the city…near the airbase for Sector City."

"That should provide them some cover then; maybe enough to get away from the cruisers they have stationed out over the plains," said Grod.

"Look!"

Down in the hangar, aerogores were beginning to come into the massive underground chamber in great numbers.

"There must be hundreds of them," said Tiet helplessly.

They could make out people being attacked outside of their ships as they tried to ready for departure. Some of the smaller vessels were being attacked also as the aerogores hurled great blasts of chemical fire at the vehicles. Others had several of the beasts clinging to them and ripping away at the armor plating to get inside at the human occupants. They continued to unleash hundreds of bursts of flame at the ships. Some of the smaller personal craft were completely engulfed in flame and then suddenly one nearby the observation window exploded before them. The heavy shrapnel clanged into the blast proof transparisteel, but did not penetrate.

Tiet removed his blade, ignited it and hammered into the viewing window. It scarred the material, but did not penetrate.

"You'll be working a while to get through that stuff Tiet. It's made to withstand a large freighter explosion if need be," said Wynn.

The heavy doors they had come through began to ring with pounding coming from the other side. "They've found us!" shouted Grod as he prepared his plasma weapon for a final showdown.

"Wait men," said Wynn. "If I'm correct we can follow this back hallway through this control station and we'll find a corridor that is supposed to lead to a small fighter bay. It must be a reserve hangar just for personal fighter craft?"

He pulled the map down to take with them. The doors began to glow from heat being put to it from the creatures beyond.

"Let's get out of here," said Tiet as he and Grod jumped the counter to join Wynn. He led them through the control station area according to the schematic. Hopefully they wouldn't encounter more predators along the way.