Laser Read Online Free PDF Page B

them alive. If they were going to blow up his partner, he was done trying to save their lives for another day.
    He rushed toward the torn doorway into the ground. “Where is she?”
    A young female pointed down the stairs. “She said she could hold it until we got free, or that is what I think she said. She was speaking Common.”
    Sting headed down the steps, and he coughed at the residual grit and filth in the air. There were bodies on the ground but none of them were silver.
    He heard a cough.
    “Over here.”
    Laser was holding up a chunk of ceiling, facing him. Her legs were splayed and her arms were over her head. She looked remarkably comfortable for a woman supporting a few tons.
    Sting didn’t know what to say.
    “So, what do you recommend?”
    He laughed and coughed. “Can you get out of there?”
    “I can, but I am going to need help.”
    “I am at your service. What do you need?”
    She sighed. “Do you see the three streaks of silver on my head?”
    He stepped in close and looked for the ridges in the braids of her hair. “I see them.”
    “Press them three times then twice then three times. Then…when the suit releases, grab me and run for the stairs.”
    “You are going to leave your armour behind?”
    “I can’t move my hands; my suit is locked in place. This is the only way I am getting out of here. I can do it myself, but it will bring the ceiling down on my head.” Laser smiled grimly. “I seem to attract explosives.”
    “Shall I do it now?”
    “If you are ready to run when I come loose, then, yes. I won’t be very coordinated. My body normally likes to be removed in an orderly fashion from the reinforcement of my suit.”
    Sting swallowed and lifted his hand. “Ready when you are.”
    Her natural skin was soft under his hand. The metal strips were close to an obscenity against such softness.
    “Starting now.” He pressed down on the metal bands with three fingers, three times. Paused, then twice and then the additional three times.
    The suit snapped open, and she fell forward into his arms. With all his strength, he ran for the stairs as the tunnel collapsed behind him.
    He skidded to the ground and fell with her under him.
    They lay in the smoke for a moment, and then, he heard a wheeze.
    “Sting, get off. My lungs aren’t cybernetic.”
    He chuckled and pushed himself to one side.
    With her hair covered with dust and rubble, she sat up and grinned. “This has been an eventful start.”
    She lifted her arm and a small blaster rose from her flesh. She fired rapidly at something behind him and then sat back and whistled sharply.
    Sting winced. “What was that for?”
    Her grimy face got a wicked cast. “You will see.”
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    She heard the scuttling that she was waiting for and her suit crawled out of the rubble, shaking itself clean before coming toward her.
    Laser got to her feet and stepped into the heel clips of her suit while it snapped around her once again. “The code you used was the find me when I call you code.”
    She stretched once it was back in place and looked around at the scattering G’bar. “Well, we have freed the hostages and cleared the area. I really have no idea what to do next.”
    “We return to Stinger and get back in the air. This didn’t have to be neat; it just had to be done.”
    Laser looked at the scattered locals and the reporters getting their cameras aimed back on Sting and herself. She shook out her hair and dusted off her metal ware. “Shall we be going then?”
    “Yes, but stay on guard. They might not take it well.”
    She nodded and smiled at the display her monitor pod was giving her. Aside from the reporters, there was nothing left of the discordant factions.
    The pod went up on its legs and followed them as they walked toward Stinger . As the ship opened the door, the pod showed movement, so Laser whirled. Her arm lined up, and the reporter aiming the blast weapon flipped back when the impulse struck her in