Get Me out of Here

[Cat]

Unknown date in the future (as of the time of Kyle's message being received)
A doomed transport ship stranded in Gallic Border Worlds

- Kiara, get down! On my signal, run to the escape pods and prep one, I'll cover you.
- But what about you?!
- I'll catch up once those guys stop shooting at us.

With that, Kyle peeked from behind a cargo container. The two Brigands had been giving them chase since that stunt with the grenade, and they weren't going to quit. The good part was that Kyle and Kiara almost reached the escape pods. The bad part was there too: leading the Brigands to the escape pods wasn't an option—it would mean getting cornered and killed.

"Now, Kiara!" Kyle leapt out of cover, gun at the ready. His pistol emitted a barrage of laser bolts heading randomly in different directions, as the visor kept drawing the optimal trajectories for suppressive fire. Kyle remained out of cover way longer than he normally would, hoping that Kiara would use that time to slip through unharmed. As Kiara was safe and out of the reach of the pursuers, he ducked behind the container on the opposite side of the passage and sighed with relief.

According to the visor, at least one of the two pursuers got hit by a random laser bolt and was out of the fight. Now Kyle only had to take care about one Brigand. Easy enough. Now, just outmaneuver or distract the other Brigand somehow, and... The train of thought got interrupted by a sudden scream coming from the escape pod compartment. A sudden female scream. Something just went out of Kyle when he heard it.

A part of him wanted to rush off towards the escape pod compartment, ignoring the remaining Brigand, not caring about what might follow. But his rational part insisted on getting rid of the pursuit, even if it meant Kiara had to wait a few moments longer. However, Kyle did change his plan and showed up out of cover for a longer time again, hoping it would draw his opponent out as well. The things he did for his beloved...

The risk was justified: the Brigand thought that a quick shot from the hip could put an end to the pesky intruder who had to show up in the narrow passage between two containers. Kyle's opponent showed up for a couple of moments, but it was enough for the visor to secure the target and offer a firing solution that Kyle instantly took. A burning pain in his shoulder was a fair tradeoff for a Brigand gunned down.

Once Kyle ended up with his back against the opposite container again, he looked at the injury. A laser bolt grazed his shoulder, but Kyle could still move his arm, albeit with pain and difficulty. Realizing that there wasn't much time to waste, Kyle headed towards the escape pod compartment. His heart told him to hurry, and his mind told him to step quietly, so Kyle picked something inbetween.

As he approached the compartment, he could hear muffled voices of a man and a woman. He couldn't say yet if it was Kiara, and the voices subsided as he approached the door from the side. Then Kyle heard the man speak again... The man whose voice Kyle has learned to hate. "Show yourself, Sirian. No funny business, or my blaster will blow the head of your petit oiseau clean off!" Kyle uttered a curse, but a sinister smirk found its way on his face. You want to play that sort of game? Fine, I'm prepared for it too.

Kyle gave himself a mental pat on the back for the idea to bring two grenades with him. He pressed a button on the temple of his glasses, changing the mode of the visor; he then took his gun by the barrel with one hand and detached his last remaining grenade off his belt. Removing the safety pin, he held the striker lever of the grenade so that it wouldn't go off until he wanted it too.

Putting his hands in the air—the fresh blaster wound was hurting, but Kyle made a face and carried on like that—he slowly walked into the room, making sure that people inside would see the grenade without a safety pin and realize the implications. Kyle's only hope was that the Brigand inside knew the simple truth: "Don't shoot the grenadier, or his stuff might explode."