Black Legion: 02 - Assault on Khorram Read Online Free PDF Page A

and wondered why they might be carrying such heavy equipment. In seconds, they were towards the end of the corridor and disappeared into the bowels of the Titan. There were now very few people on the landing pad and only the two working on the nearest dromon were even remotely close.
    “What’s the plan?” asked Roxana.
    Tamara was gone, making her way across the open ground to where the two crewmen were busy working on the dromon. Her black leather jacket and electric blue hair always drew attention. She made it to within ten metres before one of the men stopped her. Xenophon, Glaucon and Roxana pulled themselves close to the corridor wall, watching from a distance as she started up a conversation with both of them. Glaucon pulled a blade from its sheath and held it out in front of him. Roxana spotted what he was doing and reached out, grabbing the blade and holding it low.
    “No, you heard what Xenophon said, no casualties.”
    He looked over to Xenophon to find him glaring back.
    “Don’t be a fool, we do this silently, follow me.”
    He kept low and moved along the corridor until reaching the mouth. Even though a number of the lights were off, the landing bay was still one of the better lit parts of the Titan. Dozens of loading vehicles, small wheeled buggies and locked tool racks filled much of the space. He dashed nearly twenty metres and took cover beside one of the heavy fighters. At nearly ten metres long, it was small but well armoured and capable of taking on all but the most powerful alien craft. Xenophon ran his hand over the gleaming metalwork as he passed close by. As a young boy, he had often dreamed of being one of the small numbers of elite fighter pilots in the Alliance Navy. However, it was probably the most competitive part of the military.
    “Nice, very nice,” whispered Glaucon. Xenophon looked to see his friend close behind and also keeping low to avoid being spotted. Roxana moved a few metres behind, and so far they seemed to have avoided attention. A noise ahead stopped them all in their tracks. It was a loud disagreement between Tamara and the crewmen of the dromon.
    “What is she doing?” called Roxana while remaining hidden against the fuselage of the fighter.
    He looked out and saw both crewmen now engaged in a very lively argument about something inside the craft. She pointed inside, both men moved in, and she followed close behind them.
    “Clever girl!” exclaimed Xenophon, and without even speaking to the others, he was gone. Out from the cover of the fighter, he rushed across the open space and to the left-hand thrusters of the dromon. A toolbox sat on a wheeled bench, and a number of tools lay spread out on the work surface. He took the nearest wrench and moved to the main access hatch. He waited for a second and listened to the conversation inside. It took a few seconds for him to make out their voices.
    “No way can a standard dromon make it through a gap that small, no way!” said Tamara.
    She’s baiting them, I like it, he thought.
    “Look, little girl. I know what the engines can do, and there ain’t no way you’ve put one of these babies through a space like this one,” said one of the crew.
    From his position at the main hatchway, he could now see the dark shapes of the three of them. Movement beside him caught his attention, and his pulse skyrocketed until he spotted it was his comrades waiting near the hatch.
    “Let’s go!” he said as quietly as he could manage.
    He was inside, and already halfway to the two crewmen, when he was spotted. They had no idea what was coming, but even as he approached, the young Tamara leapt into action. Her first move was a quick jab at the first man’s stomach, followed by jumping passed the second and putting him into an arm lock. Xenophon landed next to her and jumped on the first man. They rolled to the ground, and it was then that the second man must have struck a panic button of some kind. The great roar of the warning