Lightwave: Jericho Colony Rescue: Folding Space Series

By AM Scott

No plan survives first contact with the enemy. When the enemy is your former commander? You need a new plan.

 

Growing up in mercenary company Phalanx Eagle, Ruhger has a set of skills most teens can only dream about. But when the leaders of his merc company go to the dark side, Ruhger and his friends must save the orphans of Jericho Mining Colony to save their parent's reputations—and all their lives.

 

Since the usual procedures won't work, Ruhger must use his cunning, marksmanship and piloting skills to lead his team on a daring mission to save the orphans. Cheat to win is his motto for this mission—this is not a test.

 

Join Ruhger and his friends on their first solo mission through the spooky tunnels of Jericho Mining Colony. Will this rescue forge the future crew of Lightwave into an unbreakable team or shatter them completely?

 

This short story was previously published in The Expanding Universe 5 Anthology.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lightwave Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jun 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393904441

AM Scott

After twenty years as a US Air Force space operations officer, AM now operates a laptop, trading in real satellites for fictional spaceships. AM is the author of the Folding Space Series, starting with Lightwave: Clocker and the Quantum Fold Series, starting with Quinn of Cygnus: Lift Off.   AM is also a volunteer leader with Team Rubicon: Disasters Are Our Business, Veterans Are Our Passion. If not out adventuring, find AM in all the usual places: Website: www.amscottwrites.com (sign up for my newsletter for exclusive content!) Twitter: @AM_Scottwrites Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMScottWrites/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amscottwrites/ BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/am-scott Email: [e-mail] I love to hear from readers. Please consider leaving a review. I don’t buy a book these days without reading a few reviews, so it’s truly helpful.

Book preview

Blast and rad! Ruhger slammed his back to the wall. The mutineers were everywhere!

He popped around the corner, fired and pulled back. None of this was on plan.

Ruhger, get your team back to the shuttle, Chief Bhoher snapped. If we’re not right behind you, you’ve got command. Fly to the folder. Run!

Ruhger froze. Giving up? They were giving up? But there were all those kids to rescue! They’d be sold as slaves. He couldn’t fail on his first mission. He couldn’t let down his team, his friends.

Tyron yanked on his arm. "Come on, commander, let’s go. I’m watching our surveillance, but Wreck’s guys keep killing the sensors."

Suns. They pounded down the tunnel, back the way they’d come. Tyron was next to him, Grant and Loren on his heels. They passed their assault team’s rear guard.

Loren, you’ve got our six. Ruhger didn’t gasp, but running in armor was hard.

Tyron said, Surveillance clear back to the shuttle.

Copy. Got a remote on you?

Oh, yeah, I do.

Get it up there, seventy-five meters or so in front. Ruhger pointed at the tunnel in front of them, twisting and winding for no apparent reason. What if the mutineers cut us off? Or they’re spoofing the surveillance?

Mudhuggers. Tyron slowed, pulling something out of a pouch hanging from his belt, and tossing it out in front of them. The tiny thing rose, disappearing before it reached the ceiling.

Tyron dropped slightly behind Ruhger. Guide me, Tyron told Grant.

Grant grabbed his arm, steering Tyron as they jogged down the tunnel. Their footfalls were softened by the dull gray sealant the miners used on the slightly rounded tunnel walls winding through the huge asteroid.

Contact, Tyron said. They slowed to a walk. Good call, Ruhger. We’ve got to get out of this tunnel.

There’s no turnoffs, Ruhger said, scanning the map. He pulled up the vid of their trip here, looking for another tunnel or a hatch or something. Anything. If his team got captured, they’d make perfect hostages. Chief must have been desperate to send them out on their own.

Pulling back the remote, Tyron said. Wait a minute, I saw...hah. Got ya. Found a hatch. Run!

They sprinted down the tunnel, breath rasping in their ears, multiplied by the comms.

Here, Tyron said.

Where? Loren said, scanning the wall.

Ruhger searched the wall on his side, but he didn’t