Immediately, my theory of plans existing basically to be changed was proven to be true, when reinforcements came ahead of schedule. Five large mechs came into view to my right. They walked close to the palace, weapons pointed toward the ground, so I didn’t think they were expecting a fight. They wouldn’t go down easy, though, so I began altering my plan in my mind, but had to change it again when something even more unexpected happened.
As the heavy doors squealed open for the mechs, the third mech in the column suddenly turned on the fourth, kicked it between its legs, then punched it in its cockpit canopy. The others turned to see what was happening, already raising their weapons.
“Surprise, poopy-heads!” the pilot of the third mech roared from its external speakers.
I felt a wide grin spread across my face. Skrew, it seemed, had found a way in without attracting attention. I was growing more fond of this vrak every day.
Chapter Nine
The enemy guards turned to their left. The unexpected noise of one mech punching another was more than their discipline and training could manage. They raised their weapons, then lowered them almost immediately, unsure of what to do about the situation.
“Hi, Jacob!” Skrew said over his external speaker. “Did try to hide for like said. But, someone did find. They say to come back. To get repair. So, did follow. Hold on.”
Skrew picked up the mech he’d punched and set it back on its feet between himself and the others, who’d just started to raise their weapons. This way, Skrew could finish off the pilot inside the mech and use the unpiloted machine as a shield.
“So, Skrew is here. Much smash, yes?”
“Yes, Skrew,” I said over the comm. “Much smash!”
Beatrix laughed, as did Reaver.
“Shall we?” I asked both.
“After you,” Beatrix said as she waved a hand toward the gate.
I charged forward and shifted my pistol to my left hand so that I could draw Ebon with my right. The guards were jockeying for position, trying to get a clear shot at Skrew’s mech, but so were their allied machines. Skrew was an expert at causing confusion and mayhem.
I wasn’t worried about the guards, even though I’d already learned how tough their kind could be. Nor was I particularly worried about the mechs, because Skrew was keeping them busy. My biggest concern was the huge, twin-barreled weapon slowly turning Skrew’s direction. Guns of that size were almost always found on capital ships or ships of the line. They were designed to punch holes in armor much tougher than any mech would be equipped with. If I didn’t take it out soon, Skrew wouldn’t last.
I raised my pistol and held the trigger down to build up a charge. I wasn’t sure if there was any kind of invisible shielding around the gun, but a weapon like that was expensive to acquire, maintain, and power. If there was a shield, I had to destroy it right away. If there wasn’t, there was no such thing as overkill.
Meanwhile, I caught a glimpse of Beatrix from the corner of my eye. She’d drop-kicked one of the guards, and as the creature skidded along the ground, she jumped on top of him like he was a skateboard.
Just as I released the trigger on my pistol and sent a huge, sparkling ball of energy at the mounted weapon, it also released a shot. Two enemy mechs were vaporized on the spot. The one Skrew was using as a shield took only a minor hit, but the explosion of vaporizing metal was enough to knock him off his feet.
My shot hit before the gunner could fire again. The bolt was absorbed by an energy shield that sparkled with gold-colored lightning before brightening so much that I had to look away. Several small explosions told me I’d destroyed the shield generators. I fired again, relying on muscle memory to aim, and was rewarded by the satisfying hiss-boom of capacitors going critical. When my vision cleared a moment later, the gun was on fire, and two guards who had been too close when the explosion happened were picking themselves off the ground, looking dazed. Another quick shot from my Fex-powered pistol caused part of the gun to explode and catch fire. The gunner fell to the ground with a thud, his burned, smoking flesh hissing on the way down. It was then I decided it was my favorite gun ever. I was impressed.
The dazed guard on the left began growling and hissing at the others. He first pointed at Skrew, then at Beatrix. He was obviously the leader, and he was my next target.
I shifted my aim and brought the sights in on the guard captain’s head, but before I could pull the trigger, his comrade stepped between us. So, I shot him instead. He fell to his knees, hung there for a moment, then fell to his chest into the dirt, which greedily began drinking his blood. The creature’s head looked like a burned taco shell.
Two more guards approached from my right. I wanted to end the captain first, but he was backing up toward the rapidly closing entrance to the palace while his comrades were already rushing in, firing their weapons. The coward would have to watch his troops die until I could get to him.
I fired at the closer of the two guards, who ducked and rolled out of the way. As I turned to the second, the first sprang to his feet, then fell over dead when a smoking hole as wide as my thumb appeared in the side of his head. Reaver had scored a nice shot.
The second guard screamed when I shot him
